Swing guitarists

The mid-to-late 30s through to the very early 40s were the hey-day of classic swing guitar playing with guitar players replacing banjoists who’d been a key part of the rhythm section in earlier big bands and small groups. Lots of the well-known groups of the day had a guitar player as part of the rhythm section, often laying down a driving, propulsive four-to-the-bar groove, and some of these players also featured as soloists. The Classic Jazz Guitar page is a good resource with profiles of lots of guitar players and even some links to audio recordings. Here are a few of the names to watch out for and, where they exist, some youtube links:

Eddie Lang (http://eddielang.com) -One of the most influential of all the early jazz players. Almost predates what we’d think of now as ‘swing’ and pretty much invented a lot of what we think of as jazz guitar. Began playing in the 1920s and died tragically in 1933. Best known for his guitar duets with Lonnie Johnson and others, and his work with Bing Crosby and violinist Joe Venuti. Especially, check the clip below with Carl Kress for an example of how impressive he could sound. His mixed rhythm and lead sound is really distinctive and technically really impressive and was a formative influence on the likes of Django Reinhardt and others. Here, with Joe Venuti: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu2CK8_jZvw. Also, here’s a nice clip with him and Bing Crosby: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0qmKjBaFtA&feature=related

Carl Kress – another classic swing player known for his chordal style. Nice audio clip with Eddie Lang here, amazing sounding for 1932, a must listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtMz3pGhHTU

Django Reinhardt – no introduction needed. Great Belgian guitar player, hugely influential improvising style that spawned an entire genre [gypsy jazz]. Primarily known for his acoustic lead playing with the Hot Club of France but was developing a more bop influenced electric sound at the end of his life. Very rare high-quality youtube clip, here. A must-watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v-6AH-S8L8

Oscar Aleman – great Argentinian guitar player, contemporary of Django Reinhardt in Paris and with a similar style. It’s striking how much the music on this youtube clip, which doesn’t feature much guitar unfortunately, has something of the sound of early rock’n’roll. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpfw1i4lydU&feature=related

Charlie Christian – played with Benny Goodman, hugely innovative improviser who anticipated and influenced some of the later bebop innovations. One of the most important players in the history of the electric guitar. This youtube clip is audio only with a slide show but a truly amazing piece of soloing from Christian at an after-hours jam session at Minton’s Playhouse in 1941. These jam sessions are often credited with being a formative influence on be-bop and you can also hear the sound of early rock-n-roll players. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLz4vYCW97Y

Eddie Durham – one of the first, or possibly even the first electric guitar player, his electric guitar recordings predate Charlie Christian’s. Worked with Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Glen Miller, Jimmie Lunceford, and others, as a guitar player, musical arranger and trombonist.

Freddie Green – much imitated monster rhythm guitar player with the Count Basie band and another incredibly influential guitarist. A lot of players have spent a lot of time trying to master his four-to-the-bar rhythm style. Here’s a really nice clip of him with Basie. The way the sound of the band changes and begins to swing when he starts to play is so nice.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3a1-ay2tnE

~ by Matt on June 19, 2008.