"Best" Jazz Guitarists

Jim Fogle · Post by **Jim Fogle** » 22 Jan 2023 11:23 am

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/ ... uitarists/

This article lists one person's opinion of who should be considered as the "best" jazz guitarists of all time. Do you agree, disagree? Who was left out? Who is ranked too high or too low?

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 22 Jan 2023 11:32 am

Good list. I'd rank Burrell and Pass closer to the number one spot than Benson or Green, but no complaints

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 22 Jan 2023 12:15 pm

I, for one, get a kick out of these so-called "best all-time" lists. Especially the ones for guitar -- exclusive of genre -- that list the likes of Kurt Cobain et al in the top ten (or higher).

John Larson · Post by **John Larson** » 22 Jan 2023 8:18 pm

I'd add Guthrie Govan, Frank Gambale, and Shawn Lane. I'd bump the fusion cats (McLaughlin, Di Meola, Holdsworth, Coryell, and Carlton) up several notches but I'm not a huge fan of purist jazz so who cares what my opinion is

. Also Django goes first.

Jack Hanson wrote:I, for one, get a kick out of these so-called "best all-time" lists. Especially the ones for guitar -- exclusive of genre -- that list the likes of Kurt Cobain et al in the top ten (or higher).

You'd get a crack out of the infamous spin one where dubstep dj skrillex made the 100 cut because he played guitar in a band once.
https://www.spin.com/2012/05/greatest-g ... -all-time/

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 22 Jan 2023 9:12 pm

They spelled Barney Kessel incorrectly, unfortunately. Kind of kills the legitimacy of the list for me.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 22 Jan 2023 10:08 pm

Yawn. This is sausage-making, at best. It's not a competition.

Brooks Montgomery · Post by **Brooks Montgomery** » 23 Jan 2023 6:50 am

Who is the best magazine author of all time?

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 23 Jan 2023 7:09 am

Jack Hanson wrote:I, for one, get a kick out of these so-called "best all-time" lists. Especially the ones for guitar -- exclusive of genre -- that list the likes of Kurt Cobain et al in the top ten (or higher).

If this had been written in a Guitar Player magazine in the Seventies, it would have interested me very much. I think, nowadays, because of the Internet, we become almost suffocated with this stuff.
Still, a nice mention of Steve Kahn.

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 24 Jan 2023 1:45 am

Seeing Herb Ellis at number 24 is a travesty!

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 24 Jan 2023 11:25 am

Joachim Kettner wrote: If this had been written in a Guitar Player magazine in the Seventies, it would have interested me very much. I think, nowadays, because of the Internet, we become almost suffocated with this stuff.
Still, a nice mention of Steve Kahn.

This is a very enlightened response.

If you are young and new to jazz, or jazz guitar, a list like this is a fantastic way to be introduced to some of the more popular all time greats. If you are 60 years old and have been listening to jazz since you were knee-high to a Gibson L5, then of course it’s completely useless, and a waste of your time even looking at it. You should already know who the greats are. Now just move along, you folks. Nothing to see here.

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 24 Jan 2023 7:54 pm

no Hank Garland?
no Les Paul?
John Pizzarelli but not Bucky?

I also think some of the "country" guys deserve consideration, like Leon Rhodes, Phil Baugh, and Bucky Barrett. and if you're going to include Larry Carlton and Steve Khan, then why not Jay Graydon and Dean Parks? Denny Dias too.

Martin Taylor as well and I could easily name several more.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 27 Jan 2023 8:22 am

Lists like this are a fool's errand.

Larry Lenhart · Post by **Larry Lenhart** » 31 Jan 2023 2:36 pm

I like what Andy said...to me any "best list" means who the authors favorites are...and we all have our favorites but to say best is silly...imho....I happen to like Herb Ellis as one of my very favorites...is he the best...I wouldnt go there and it doesnt matter either. I have read where many dont consider Johnny Smith to be a jazz guitarist, because his solos were planned ahead...even that is probably not a true statement. Anyway, who cares...I didnt even read the list, just my 2 cents worth. And I am not trying to put down the original poster of this thread, so please dont take it that way.