In jazz history, it has always been the
trumpeters and saxophonists who always got the major share of the spotlight. One
of the reasons why guitarists did not get their due, especially in the early
years of jazz, is because acoustic guitars lacked the strength to stand out in
an ensemble like the woodwind brass instruments. The introduction of electric
amplification changed the fortune of jazz guitarists and their percussive
rhythm sections could now be heard over the sound of the ensemble. If you want
to listen to the best guitarists on a jazzmusic radio station in USA, be prepared to hear the music of these below-listed
names.
Django Reinhardt
A Belgian-born Romani-French jazz guitarist and
composer, Django Reinhardt is one of the most significant names that emerged
from European jazz music. A prodigious talent, he played the guitar using only
his thumb and two middle fingers after the third and fourth fingers on his left
hand were severely damaged in a caravan fire at just the age of 18. Django
Reinhardt fronted a Paris-based band, Quintette du Hot Club de France, along
with violinist Stéphane Grapelli. This small quintet only featured string
instruments like the guitar and double bass, which produced a much softer sound
allowing Django to showcase his virtuosic acoustic soloing skills. Despite
playing the instrument with just two fingers, he had the technical expertise to
combine precision and speed with an unbelievable manual dexterity. He redefined
the role of jazz guitarists with his rhythmic sections as well as skillful
soloing.
Charlie Christian
Charlie Christian was one of the first guitar
players to embrace the electric guitar when it was introduced in the mid-1930s.
Before that, guitarists usually featured as rhythm players in a swing and jazz
band. But Christian rose to fame performing with Benny Goodman’s Orchestra
where he played the guitar as a solo instrument. His soloing style is often
described as horn-like due to his penchant for using flowing, melodic
single-note lines. During his tenure with Goodman from 1939-41, his remarkable
playing and improvisational skills helped bring the guitar out of the rhythm
section and into the forefront. Charlie Christian also played a significant
role in the development of bebop, doing a series of recordings at the Minton's
Playhouse with the likes of Jerry Jerome, Kenny Clarke, Joe Guy, and more. He died
at the age of just 25, in 1942, suffering from tuberculosis.
Wes Montgomery
Hailed as one of the greatest jazz guitarists
of all time, Wes Montgomery was not a trained musician. What set him apart from
the rest of the crowd was his unusual style of plucking the guitar strings with
the side of his thumbs and his distinctive use of octaves. He was highly
influenced by Charlie Christian and was proficient in playing single-note lines
exactly like a horn player. But his soloing had a more harmonic style thanks to
his use of parallel octaves and block chords. Wes Montgomery recorded
extensively with his brothers – vibraphonist and pianist Buddy and double
bassist Monk – and he primarily played hard bop and soul jazz. His style of
guitar playing also influenced smooth jazz and jazz fusion. He died, aged 45,
due to a heart attack. Wes Montgomery is undoubtedly one of the most
influential guitar players in jazz history.
Jim Hall
Jim Hall was an extraordinary jazz musician; he
could play the guitar, double bass, and piano, and was also a skilled composer
and arranger. He started learning the guitar at the age of 10 and was
profoundly influenced by Charlie Christian recordings. He started his
professional career in Los Angeles playing with Chico Hamilton's quintet. He
then joined the trio band, Jimmy Giuffre Three. In 1957, he recorded his first
solo album. From the late 1950s to mid-1960s, Hall collaborated with some of
the biggest and most prolific names in the world of jazz. He was working with
Ben Webster, Ella Fitzgerald, Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz, Bill Evans, Quincy
Jones, Oliver Nelson, Gary McFarland, Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan, John Lewis,
Sonny Stitt, and many other big names. His duet albums with double bassist Ron
Carter and his 1975 album with Paul Desmond and Chet Baker were some of his
most successful. Jim Hall cemented his place as one of the world’s best jazz
guitarists thanks to his eclectic collaborations.
Conclusion
As you listen to any jazz music radio station in USA, you will surely come across music
by these four notable musicians and top jazz guitarists of all time.
