Jens Larsen It's weird, that, I think that although it existed during the 40s and early-mid 50s, bebop guitar (as in, as full soloist) got a delayed start: As horns moved into modal/fusion/soul stuff from the 60s onwards, guys like Pass, Wes and Herb Ellis started releasing full-on bebop albums where the guitar was played as the horns were. Johnny Smith, Kessel, Charlie Christian and Django all brought stuff to the table before that, of course! Even some of the old Parker tunes have guitar sections, but were tame melodic sections compared to the flying brass! Not sure who played on em though.
As I recall, guitar was present in the big swing orchestras, but hardly ever heard properly, hence the ensuing use of amplification. To this day I find that piano players in particular see the guitar as a rhythm instrument (go figure!) and as a guitarist I sometimes really have to fight to be on a par with the horns, to be treated on equal terms I mean.
I think it's been a leading instrument since the fusion era. Players like Metheny, Frisell and Kurt have had a big influence on the non-guitarists I know, where it's quite possible to have a thorough education in Bop and Modern Jazz and never listen to any guitarists. Before then, I think Charlie Christian was the high point of the instrument influencing non-guitarists.
@Mac, some were played by Barney Kessel lIRC, Tiny Grimes also crops up on some early Parker, and a lot of players who I haven't heard anything from - most of those players were still coming out the Charlie Christian thing at that point (it's fair enough it was the 40s!), which isn't (to my ears) REALLY bebop. The early sides are still very swing influenced, tightly arranged, Slam Stewart still playing very percussively on bass (I love them.) I think you have to give a lot of props to Chuck Wayne (George Shearing's guitarist and Ben Monder's teacher!) and Jimmy Raney (my favourite) for developing an approach that could cope with the language of Parker on guitar, Barney along with Herb is the most swinging cat you will hear on guitar short of Charlie himself, but they don't have that horn like fluency you need for fully fledged bop.... IMHO. But then, why try to be a horn player?
Also, I feel I should mention that the guitar trio during the 40s and 50s was most often piano, guitar, bass, not piano, bass, drums...... Guitar could be percussive as well as another lead voice in the ensemble. Early Ahmad Jamal, Nat Cole, Oscar Peterson as well as Art Tatum follow this format. Jim Hall's early recordings like 'Jazz Guitar' Tal Farlow with Eddie Costa in the 60s. And Nat Cole's stuff, pretty mainstream with Oscar Moore on guitar. Maybe that's where pianists get that from lol, it's a great line up, and I love being the drums.
I'm a bass player that is studying guitar to learn harmony and to help compose songs and I must say, your channel is really amazing and educational. So glad to have found you!
From what I hear, Charlie Christian started all this, but I'm sure there's more to it than even that but nice ideas once again my good friend! thanks for sharing the details.🎸🎖️🎗️🏆🌍🌎🌏
Going back to my bluegrass, folk, blues days one of the things I would work out for jams was finding a different area of the neck to live in away from the wall of guitars... Exploring the intervals, spreads and out of context inversions became a work in progress for me that continues to this day and my journey into a more modern jazz sound. It is a gift to be able to watch you lay out a foundation for the things I am hearing but don't have a structure for. Great subject and lesson, thank you!
Well I mean other player of his era that use similar concepts on modal music and that get that out ish sound on tunes with more chords. Dolphine dance for eccample. The way Train blows over Favourite Things
Is this theory the same idea as a triad pair? But in chordal form? Great ideas here, I never consider using two "layers" as you say, always just in extensions, so this is great food for thought. You can see how this might occur to a pianist more easily. Great vid though, your editing and camera transitions to fretboard are excellent!
Hey Jens, Could you please explain why you can play Ebmin and Gbmajd#5 on D7 at 3:25? If I miss any of your video about this pls suggest it to me. Thanks
Easily: D7 altered scale is Eb minor melodic, so all the diatonic chords in that scale work on the D7: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-51MCFyXYyas.html
Jens Larsen ..even in my spam i dont have it sinced i didnt proceed creating an account with that said order ..bit in a hurry ..hope u dont mind but maybe with that same email can i still create one again ? So perhaps u can easily send that saud link again . Thanks ,have a nice day : )
Great lesson, as always Jens! That beautiful voicing is also found in "Diamond Dust", a song by Bernie Holland (1973) which was popularized by Jeff Beck in the Blow by Blow album. Although, Bernie used a Drop D tuning in order to be able to play the 6 note chord easily on guitar. According to Bernie, he heard the voicing in a John McLaughlin record. I'd love to see more videos about piano voicings/chord/voice leading transcribed to guitar.
Yes, but that would not really give you this type of melody, at least I don't play like that with my triad pairs. So I would turn it around and suggest playing like this with triad pairs 🙂
A lot of beautiful sounding lines are a nightmare to play on guitar. The opposite is also true. It is super easy to play boring parts and stay linear. String skipping used wisely is sometimes the fresh ingredient, many guitarists are missing. Why does Charlie Christian sound so good, still? Using lot of arpeggios and 1 note/1 string spaced out lines.
Sure! You get used to it and it should not be an excuse for avoiding the hard stuff. Jazz guitar is blooming right now thanks to your channel but also guys like Lage and Mike. Did you check the "Guitar Center" Quartet videos? Fine as wine.
Jens - Help! I have a notification on my phone where you ask “if there is something you think could make a good topic for a video” but I can’t find it anywhere else but my phone. I have a certain “topic” that I would like to have explained, but I can’t find the page to post my response. Can you help?
Great perspective jens I mainly use voicing with roots on the 5th and 6th string that A chord in this lesson if you add the B in the bass is a Bm7#5 ...
There's a beautiful scene in the first Transporter movie where they're underwater and Stanley Clarke does the soundtrack. he uses that chord. It's one of the beautiful sounds.
