Getting back into the Jazz Blogosphere!

I have been superbusy these past couple of months and have not found time to do much blogging, as work and family have occupied most of my time, but I am hoping to get back to blogging again in the near future. Here are some of the topics I am hoping to look at in more detail:

-album reviews of some of the jazz legends
-looking at the mind-body-spirit connections in jazz and musical improvisation
-building bridges from jazz and blues to other styles
-the music theory behind jazz vocabulary
-jazz as a metaphor for the creative life

More to come soon!

Peace,

John

Top Ten Favorite Jazz Guitarists

I thought it might be fun to post a few lists of my all-time favorite jazz musicians. Jazz Guitar is my instrument, so that is where I will start. Each player is unique and hard to compare, but here goes:

1. Wes Montgomery- hands down my favorite
2. Joe Pass- his Virtuoso cds knocked my socks off when I first heard them
3. Charlie Christian- his life was cut tragically short at 26, but he was a genius
4. Django Reinhardt- An early pioneer of Gypsy jazz guitar
5. Barney Kessel- played with a fluidity and talent like few others
6. Charlie Byrd- known for helping bring bossa to the U.S.; a nylon string virtuoso
7. Chet Atkins- incredible fingerstyle jazz-rockabilly genius
8. Jim Hall- a skillfully sublime jazz guitarmaster; rich harmonic ideas & phrasing
9. George Benson- amazingly versatile in his mastery of jazz guitar
10. Earl Klugh- excellent melodic solo ideas, fingerstyle, and harmonic textures

Honorable mentions: Pete Smyser (my teacher), Kenny Burrell, Johnny Smith, Tal Farlow, Les Paul, Grant Green, Pat Metheny, Russell Malone, Mimi Fox, Pat Martino, John McLaughlin, Mike Stern, Eddie Lang, Jimmy Raney, Bucky Pizzarelli.

Liberty Jazz Fest- Earl Klugh, Bob James & band!

Bob playing a lively rendition of "Angela," the instrumental theme from "Taxi."