Anyone Else Here Into Jazz?

[Silence Dogood]

For a while now I've become quite taken with jazz.  I just got my stats from July on my music streaming service and Django Reinhardt was number one, with Ella Fitzgerald and Benny Goodman close behind.  I've also been watching the (very long and detailed!) Ken Burns miniseries "Jazz" during the evenings. Though it came out over twenty years ago, this is my first time watching it.  The old footage of 20th century America is the best part to me.  My listening is also making its way to my guitar playing.  I'm certainly no proper jazz player, but I'm having a great time learning licks, new chords, and old songs that are new to me.  I got an archtop hollow electric a while ago and it fits well with these sounds. 

Anyone else here into jazz?

Edit:  Oh yeah.... Charlie Christian!  Wow, what a discovery! 

[William2]

I grew up listening to jazz. Jazz and classical music are the only things I really listen to. I love the great jazz artists of the various periods and the great song repertoire they have at their disposal for their improvisations. I like listening to jazz piano, sax, and of course guitar. I like many of the jazz guitar artists, but my favorites include Johnny Smith, Jimmy Bruno, Joe Pass, and Tal Farlow.  I also like some of the younger players, but many don't have CDs out. Here is a young player I listen to. He uses old instruments and keeps his repertoire in the 20s, 30s, and 40s for material. He has started publishing some arrangements of classic songs. Here is one I just worked out. Not being a jazz guitarist, I really appreciate a good arrangement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecug1Xidnbs

And here is a Jimmy Bruno take on another great standard, That's All.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSOQHaGEXUo

[Silence Dogood]

I grew up listening to jazz. Jazz and classical music are the only things I really listen to. I love the great jazz artists of the various periods and the great song repertoire they have at their disposal for their improvisations. I like listening to jazz piano, sax, and of course guitar. I like many of the jazz guitar artists, but my favorites include Johnny Smith, Jimmy Bruno, Joe Pass, and Tal Farlow.  I also like some of the younger players, but many don't have CDs out. Here is a young player I listen to. He uses old instruments and keeps his repertoire in the 20s, 30s, and 40s for material. He has started publishing some arrangements of classic songs. Here is one I just worked out. Not being a jazz guitarist, I really appreciate a good arrangement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecug1Xidnbs

And here is a Jimmy Bruno take on another great standard, That's All.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSOQHaGEXUo

I've seen that young dude on YT and think his arrangement of Stardust is brilliant.  That's one of the first tunes my ear latched on to when I got into this music.  There are so many versions of it and most are quite good.  Unless it's Django or Charlie Christian, most of what I like when it comes to jazz guitar is the rhythm.  I really enjoy listening to the sound of the chords being pumped out so smoothly.  I also love the fatter and smoother sound of jazz guitars over the jangly sounds of regular acoustics these days.  Of course, this music can be played on a regular acoustic with the right strings and technique, but there is something magical about the acoustic archtop. 

I find that I really love the music of Louis Armstrong too.  Duke Ellington and some others are a bit too esoteric for me at this point.  Maybe someday I can work up to that.  I find much of the jazz of the 60s and 70s very abstract and pretty much unlistenable.  For me, it's melody, melody, melody and always has been, no matter what the style of music is. 

[William2]

I've seen that young dude on YT and think his arrangement of Stardust is brilliant.  That's one of the first tunes my ear latched on to when I got into this music.  There are so many versions of it and most are quite good.  Unless it's Django or Charlie Christian, most of what I like when it comes to jazz guitar is the rhythm.  I really enjoy listening to the sound of the chords being pumped out so smoothly.  I also love the fatter and smoother sound of jazz guitars over the jangly sounds of regular acoustics these days.  Of course, this music can be played on a regular acoustic with the right strings and technique, but there is something magical about the acoustic archtop. 

I find that I really love the music of Louis Armstrong too.  Duke Ellington and some others are a bit too esoteric for me at this point.  Maybe someday I can work up to that.  I find much of the jazz of the 60s and 70s very abstract and pretty much unlistenable.  For me, it's melody, melody, melody and always has been, no matter what the style of music is. 

The nice thing about this music is that is always a growing experience. And as far as melody. nothing beats the great American songbook.

[Queequeg]

Those guys are good. Thanks for the links. 
Yes! to the American songbook.
I think maybe Erik McIntyre was playing a Chet Atkins arrangement of Stardust(?)

And Frank Vignola is one of my favorites.
You linked a Jimmy Bruno tune.
Here's Jimmy & Frank together on another old jazz standard.

[Silence Dogood]

Thanks for mentioning the Great American Songbook!  That's a term I was mentally looking for today that kept escaping me (I love this forum!).  I'm going to look more into this topic for sure.  If there are any good books or sites you know of directed toward this topic, please share. 

While not exactly Jazz, Western Swing is certainly influenced by Jazz and has tons of the influence woven into it.  Here is a song I've been messing around with all day.  Lots of fun, and such a catchy melody.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63h9T0BFjYA

[B0WIE]

 I admire jazz. I don't know how into it I actually am but a lot of the music I like crosses over into jazz. And, I like playing certain jazz pieces on guitar. I really want to get to the point where I can play jazz like some of the guys from the 1950s and 60's. But, my problem is that I don't listen to enough of it to get a memory of how a lot of those songs are supposed to go.

[unclrob]

My brother Warren Sutton is my favorite jazz player no video or audio from him for you to hear but I get up close lessons.I suck at it but have been a jazz guitar fan from way back.My all time fav is Joe Vinutie and Eddy Lange from the 20's.

[jazzereh]

I've been into jazz since my dad/mom took me to a Louis Armstrong concert in the town I grew up in back in the '50's!!  While I'm mainly a sax guy I love all kinds of jazz.

Silence, I read that you are starting in the somewhat early years of jazz and that's great.  You have so much more to work towards.  And, you note that melody is important, as it is to me.  Lyrical players rather than harmonic styles but I can get into both. 

So, Ed Bickert is a guitarist you really should get to know.  Lots of recordings and videos on YT for you to explore but here's a a tune from a classic session with Paul Desmond to get you going...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYpUK9JBElE

Enjoy your journey.

[Silence Dogood]

I've been into jazz since my dad/mom took me to a Louis Armstrong concert in the town I grew up in back in the '50's!!  While I'm mainly a sax guy I love all kinds of jazz.

Silence, I read that you are starting in the somewhat early years of jazz and that's great.  You have so much more to work towards.  And, you note that melody is important, as it is to me.  Lyrical players rather than harmonic styles but I can get into both. 

So, Ed Bickert is a guitarist you really should get to know.  Lots of recordings and videos on YT for you to explore but here's a a tune from a classic session with Paul Desmond to get you going...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYpUK9JBElE

Enjoy your journey.

Nice!  Thanks for posting.  He's getting some really buttery tone out if that tele!  I've always loved a yellow tele too.  Yeah, I'm taking it slow and going back to the early days.  I'm really enjoying learning about something new. 

Here is a player you might not know about:  Jonathan Stout.  I found him on IG and really enjoy what he does.

https://youtu.be/cJAZ8EUQW1k?feature=shared

[William2]

Nice!  Thanks for posting.  He's getting some really buttery tone out if that tele!  I've always loved a yellow tele too.  Yeah, I'm taking it slow and going back to the early days.  I'm really enjoying learning about something new. 

Here is a player you might not know about:  Jonathan Stout.  I found him on IG and really enjoy what he does.

https://youtu.be/cJAZ8EUQW1k?feature=shared

I listened to a number of Stout's videos. He has a great left hand. Watching this, I wonder why Gibson doesn't make new versions of these classic instruments. If I wanted an archtop, Gibson isn't making what I want. Looking at the notes on one of the videos, Jonathon uses 14s and 18s on the first and second strings. I wonder if it takes a lot of strength and heavy gauge strings to make this type of instrument sing.

[Silence Dogood]

I listened to a number of Stout's videos. He has a great left hand. Watching this, I wonder why Gibson doesn't make new versions of these classic instruments. If I wanted an archtop, Gibson isn't making what I want. Looking at the notes on one of the videos, Jonathon uses 14s and 18s on the first and second strings. I wonder if it takes a lot of strength and heavy gauge strings to make this type of instrument sing.

That's a pretty beefy setup but he's definitely making it work.  I love his fat tone. And yes, his left hand is insane.

My guess is that Gibson makes their money selling Les Pauls, J45s, and the occasional ES-335. There isn't much of a market for hollowbody electrics and probably even less for archtop acoustics. 

[unclrob]

I've been useing 14-18's for ever on both my electrics and acoustic no big deal.Its only scary in your head,I will say it keeps people from asking to play my guitars as it scares them.just as easy to play with a good setup.As for archtops there are a lots out there,some of the imports are pretty nice guitars.

[William2]

I have to say my favorite jazz player is Johnny Smith. Not just for unsurpassed technical ability, but for taste and his interpretations. Here is one from my collection of Jonny Smith offerings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-vVbspvfIw

[Queequeg]

This is a fairly old video but I always enjoyed Martin Taylor.
I became acquainted with him back when he started working with Stephane Grappelli.
Tone, phrasing, melody. He's got it all, IMO.

[William2]

This is a fairly old video but I always enjoyed Martin Taylor.
I became acquainted with him back when he started working with Stephane Grappelli.
Tone, phrasing, melody. He's got it all, IMO.

I really liked this solo concert when it came out. I don't know if it is still available, but a friend lent me a VHS of the concert which included transcriptions of several of the program pieces, this one, The Dolphin and several other tunes. I still prefer Joe Pass for solo fingerstyle jazz guitar. The last time I saw him play was a couple of years ago with Frank Vignola, and Jimmy Bruno on Radio Free Birdland.

[Queequeg]

Don't tap your foot.    

[Queequeg]

[William2]

I was watching a new Jimmy Bruno video today. He mentioned his friend Rusell Malone died yesterday on tour in Japan. He was 61 and died of a heart attack. I always loved his technique and beautiful tone as well as his invention. I learned of him listening to Diana Krall who he worked with. He is one of the last collaborations of Russell Malone and Diana Krall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5FVmJKPSrY