Jazz Guitar Life Network
Influential Albums
I've noticed that while the jazz guitar life network has plenty of members that there doesn't seem to be tons of activity, and I find myself spamming the news stream with lots of stuff. Oh well. I don't mind being in small little cubbie holes on the internet. Sometimes a small group of good folks is better than countless millions anyway.
So I thought I would blog about some of my favorite jazz guitar albums and how they've influenced me and why. I won't have time to do this in one post so this will be a series, perhaps.
1. Jim Hall, Concierto.
This might be the first "straight" jazz guitar album I ever really loved. I bought it at 18 (having no clue who Jim Hall was) and it was one of those records that just went directly to the heart and stayed there. No wonder, everybody's playing, especially Chet Baker, was so fabulous on that opening cut, "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To," while Jim's solo is without a doubt one of the all time great jazz guitar solos on a record, ever, bar none.
The reason why a new, strange genre of music (as jazz really was to me in highschool) could appeal like Jim Hall's Concierto album did is because it had elements universal to all great music: fantastic melodies, terrific time, and a transcendent "gestalt" that is greater than the sum of its parts. The last part is spiritual and cannot be easily duplicated. it either happens or it doesn't. It does here and its awesome.
2. Jeff Beck, Blow by Blow.
Some would hesitate to call this jazz but I would. As my high school band director put it, this is as close to rock as you can get and still consider this in the jazz realm.
What makes Jeff Beck so unique in this setting is that unlike guys like John McLaughlin or Joe Beck, Jeff Beck comes into Jazz from rock instead of Rock to Jazz. While usually this would be bad, Jeff makes it work by expanding himself just enough to fit these new jazzy harmonies (yes, most of this stuff is still blues based, but he still has to make changes in tunes like "Scatterbrain").
For a rock person like I was back then, it takes an album like this to open the door to new vistas. I'm not listening to Grant Green if I don't first listen to Jeff Beck. However, unlike all the stuff I used to like before Jazz, this music still holds up. From the funky bite of "You Know What I Mean" to the awesome interpretation of Stevie Wonder's "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" Jeff fires on all cylinders. Plus you have to love Max Middleton's skillful comping on the Fender Rhodes!
3. Grant Green, Iron City
This is a 32 Jazz reissue and the title track was the first jazz guitar solo I ever transcribed. This introduced me to Grant's playing, which was a real blessing for a jazz newb that was still into mostly rock. Grant's playing is more complex than it appears at first, but it isn't a million notes, plus he has terrific, sublime tone, something many jazz players lack. While in time you understand why (many jazz guitarists take a utilitarian approach to amplification), it helps to actually have a powerful tone like Grant's. I myself aspire to get his bright, almost sort of distorted guitar sound, as well as his sharp, hard swinging playing style.
So I thought I would blog about some of my favorite jazz guitar albums and how they've influenced me and why. I won't have time to do this in one post so this will be a series, perhaps.
1. Jim Hall, Concierto.
This might be the first "straight" jazz guitar album I ever really loved. I bought it at 18 (having no clue who Jim Hall was) and it was one of those records that just went directly to the heart and stayed there. No wonder, everybody's playing, especially Chet Baker, was so fabulous on that opening cut, "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To," while Jim's solo is without a doubt one of the all time great jazz guitar solos on a record, ever, bar none.
The reason why a new, strange genre of music (as jazz really was to me in highschool) could appeal like Jim Hall's Concierto album did is because it had elements universal to all great music: fantastic melodies, terrific time, and a transcendent "gestalt" that is greater than the sum of its parts. The last part is spiritual and cannot be easily duplicated. it either happens or it doesn't. It does here and its awesome.
2. Jeff Beck, Blow by Blow.
Some would hesitate to call this jazz but I would. As my high school band director put it, this is as close to rock as you can get and still consider this in the jazz realm.
What makes Jeff Beck so unique in this setting is that unlike guys like John McLaughlin or Joe Beck, Jeff Beck comes into Jazz from rock instead of Rock to Jazz. While usually this would be bad, Jeff makes it work by expanding himself just enough to fit these new jazzy harmonies (yes, most of this stuff is still blues based, but he still has to make changes in tunes like "Scatterbrain").
For a rock person like I was back then, it takes an album like this to open the door to new vistas. I'm not listening to Grant Green if I don't first listen to Jeff Beck. However, unlike all the stuff I used to like before Jazz, this music still holds up. From the funky bite of "You Know What I Mean" to the awesome interpretation of Stevie Wonder's "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" Jeff fires on all cylinders. Plus you have to love Max Middleton's skillful comping on the Fender Rhodes!
3. Grant Green, Iron City
This is a 32 Jazz reissue and the title track was the first jazz guitar solo I ever transcribed. This introduced me to Grant's playing, which was a real blessing for a jazz newb that was still into mostly rock. Grant's playing is more complex than it appears at first, but it isn't a million notes, plus he has terrific, sublime tone, something many jazz players lack. While in time you understand why (many jazz guitarists take a utilitarian approach to amplification), it helps to actually have a powerful tone like Grant's. I myself aspire to get his bright, almost sort of distorted guitar sound, as well as his sharp, hard swinging playing style.
Comment
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Comment by Robert Howard on November 6, 2009 at 6:50am -
Hey, no problem Lyle. Like I said, I have always sort of been drawn to the smaller little spaces on the internet, where maybe a group of something like 25-150 people participate as opposed to a huge forum where you are one tiny voice in a huge community. I really appreciate that you've put all of this together. There are various jazz guitar/jazz sites around the net but what you've done has a certain personality that I really like.
I'm sure you are right about people being busy. In my case, I think its a matter of being part of that generation of people who just grew up with a computer attached to them; shoot, once I start gigging again I'll probably bring a netbook or maybe just use my phone and make updates from there!
I look forward to the updates! I'll also try to get some of my jazz oriented friends on here.
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Comment by Lyle Robinson on November 6, 2009 at 6:27am -
Hi Robert and thanks for the post. These are definitely some great albums to be into. I also hear you about member inactivity. I can only account it to lots of players actually being busy with stuff...which I hope is the deal. I know for myself, I should be contributing more to this forum and I will. I'm just so swamped with interviews, reviews, teaching and my web design biz that I fail to find time to devote to adding new things on here. That being said, I will be updating Jazz Guitar Life within the next few days and should then have more time to spend on here. Thanks for taking up some of the slack Robert. It is most appreciated. Take care and all the best.
Lyle Robinson
http://www.jazzguitarlife.com
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