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Lists that rank the greatest musicians in America's most creative musical genre.

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Imagine dancing to the sound of smooth, vibrant jazz music with a pianist pounding on the keys with all his might accompanied by a cello, trumpet, and trombone. The sound is unique and your feet start to move. When jazz music grew to popularity, there hadn't been anything like it before – it became the iconic sound of an era and is still popular today. The piano is an important part of jazz music, and some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-bands-and-artists/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest jazz musicians</a> played it.&nbsp;Who are the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-pianists-in-the-world/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest jazz pianists</a> of all time? &nbsp; The musicians on this list are considered the all time greatest jazz pianists, and their legacies continue to influence the shape of jazz music to this day! &nbsp; This list features the greatest jazz pianists of all time, ranked as the absolute best by music lovers. Vote up the best jazz piano players below and see where the pianists you think are the greatest rank!

Singers

Nancy Wilson

<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-female-voice-ever?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">The best female</a> jazz singers in music history have a sound that&#39;s like no other. Their melodies and tones captivate us and keep us coming back for more. Many of the women on this list have been gone for decades, but their incomparable jazz vocals will live on forever. Vote for your favorite famous female jazz vocalists and vote down any artists you don&#39;t like. Also, if you have a favorite who isn&#39;t listed here, add her! You can also rerank this list of top female jazz vocalists any way you like, including all of them or just a few.

How can any list of top female jazz vocalists not include the likes of Ella Fitzgerald,&nbsp;Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan? Their unparalleled talents are indisputable. Once you get into the best female jazz singers&#39; top 10, it&#39;s really hard to pick one over the other.

Arguments can be made, of course, that Sarah Vaughan&#39;s&nbsp;versatility makes her the best. Some might say that no one can or will ever match Ella Fitzgerald&#39;s incredible tone (and certainly her scat abilities). Others would argue that Billie Holiday&nbsp;is not only the greatest female jazz singer in history, but one of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-female-voice-ever" target="_blank">best female vocalists ever.</a>

Some of the best modern female jazz singers include the always wonderful Diana Krall, Melody Gardot, and certainly Esperanza Spalding and yes, even Norah Jones. Norah&#39;s sound is more of a jazzy fusion, but she makes the list. Defining a pure jazz singer isn&#39;t always easy: Like Norah, some of the women listed here are both jazz and blues. Either way, they&#39;re all fabulous, so vote!

Miles Davis

Combining elements of funk, R&amp;B, rock, pop, and yes, jazz - smooth jazz was wildly popular as a commercial subgenre of jazz. Smooth jazz artists also could be found adult contemporary radio and is called smooth because of its downtempo melody that carries the song. First emerging in the 1960s, smooth jazz works well as background music and wasn&#39;t necessarily as complex or innovative as <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/trad-jazz-bands-and-artists/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">traditional jazz music</a>. Nevertheless, <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-bands-and-artists/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">top jazz artists</a> rose to prominence in the late 1980s before peaking in the 1990s and early 2000s. Though smooth, contemporary jazz isn&#39;t as big as it once was, it&#39;s impact can&#39;t be disputed and many famous jazz artists are considered to be some of the best musicians of modern time.&nbsp;

So, who are the best smooth jazz artists of all time? Any list of smooth jazz musicians has to include names like Anita Baker, Dave Koz, Chris Botti, Al Jarreau and Norah Jones. These smooth jazz artists are among the most well known names in the genre and with good reason. Their smooth songs, accomplishments, and awards speak for themselves. It&#39;s likely when you think of contemporary jazz and smooth jazz, these are the top artists that come to mind.

That said, it&#39;s up to you to determine what are the best smooth jazz artists. If you&#39;re familiar with smooth jazz, please feel free to vote on this list of smooth jazz artists. If you notice new artists that are missing from this list, feel free to add them.&nbsp;This list answers the questions &quot;who are the best smooth jazz bands of all time?&quot; and &quot;who is the greatest smooth jazz musician ever?&quot;&nbsp;If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band&#39;s music instead of just voting for the most popular smooth jazz bands that you might&#39;ve heard of.&nbsp;

Jazz

Tal Farlow

When jazz took the stage it forever changed the world of music. Jazz is infused into almost all genres of music, even subtly. Mastering any kind of guitar is hard enough, but mastering jazz guitar takes even more skill. Who are the greatest jazz guitarists of all time?&nbsp; &nbsp; The talented musicians on this list are known for being the all time greatest when it comes to jazz guitar. This includes musicians who are both living and dead. Many of these musicians also branched out into other genres of music, including rock and country. &nbsp; This list features the all time greatest jazz guitarists, ranked by the community's votes, and includes Wes Montgomery, Django Reinhardt, and Joe Pass. Vote up the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-guitarists-in-the-world/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best jazz guitarists</a> in history below, or add someone you think is great if he or she isn't already on the list.

Incognito

While there are many fantastic jazz-funk artists, some are just better than others. This list is designed to let the fans of jazz-funk separate the absolute best jazz-funk bands and groups from all of the rest. Jazz-funk is a subgenre of jazz that&rsquo;s known for it&rsquo;s strong, funky groove and focus on instrumentation. George Benson and George Duke are classic examples of the genre, but are they the top jazz funk fusion artists of all time?

This list of the top jazz-funk <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-famous-rock-bands-right-now/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">bands in the world</a> includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list.&nbsp;Jazz-funk artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. Jazz-funk groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. These are truly the greatest and funkiest jazz-funk bands of all time, since the most famous jazz-funk artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the best jazz-funk music.

You can click on the jazz-funk band names to see more information about that particular notable jazz-funk group. All the top jazz-funk bands named on the list also have songs and albums listed on their pages if you click on the jazz-funk band names themselves.

A list made up of genre-bending artists like Victor Wooten and Jaco Pastorious. Vote for the best artists, in your opinion, by clicking the thumbs up button. Vote down the acts that can&#39;t bring the funk. Which of these artists belongs at the top of the list? Galactic? Billy Cobham?&nbsp;All important, significant, and iconic names in jazz-funk music history deserve your votes, so choose wisely.&nbsp;

The list should include all modern and new jazz-funk bands, so if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. This list has the best examples of jazz-funk, and can be a good place to start if you wondering how to get into jazz-funk music. The bands at the top of the list will be the best choices if you&#39;re looking for a list of good jazz-funk bands with which to start out.&nbsp;This list answers the questions &quot;who are the best jazz-funk bands of all time?&quot; and &quot;who is the greatest jazz-funk musician ever?&quot;

Whether you&rsquo;re a jazz-funk expert or a new fan of jazz-funk music, please vote for the best jazz-funk bands - not just the most popular jazz-funk bands that you never actually listened to.&nbsp;

Wycliffe Gordon

Who are the best <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-trombonists-in-the-world/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">jazz trombone players</a> ever? The trombone is a brass instrument, played with a telescoping slide, which the trombonist moves to change the pitch of each note. The trombone is used in classical and orchestral music, but is also incredibly common in jazz music as well. This list has the best jazz trombonists to ever pick up the instrument.These best jazz trombone players in history are from different eras but are all extremely talented jazz musicians. The great trombonists on this list have the ability to create flawless music whether its a rehearsed piece, or an improvisational solo. These musicians have helped define jazz, and make it the genre it is today.The best jazz trombonists of all time include musicians such as, Jack Teagarden, Tommy Dorsey, and Delfeayo Marsalis. To become one of the best jazz trombonists of all time takes great commitment, a strong work ethic, and natural skill.Vote up the greatest jazz trombonists on the list below or add a jazz trombone player you think is the best if he or she isn't already on the list.

Wes Montgomery

Jazz artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. List of good jazz bands includes a filter so you can sort by the groups&rsquo;s label and what albums they&#39;ve put out. This list of the top jazz bands in the world includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. If available, you can also see information about where all jazz bands on this list got started. These are truly the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/smooth-jazz-bands-and-musicians/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest jazz bands of all time</a>, since the most famous jazz artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the best jazz music. You can click on the jazz band names to see more information about that particular notable jazz group. If they&#39;re near the top of the best jazz artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. All the top jazz bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the jazz band names themselves. Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis are a great starting point for your to rank your favorites on this list Make sure to upvote your favorite artists to see them get to the top of the list. Are you one of those people that doesn&#39;t like Thelonious Monk or Duke Ellington? Then vote those things down to have your voice heard.All important, significant and iconic names in jazz music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. You can only vote once on this list. The list includes all new jazz bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. Just make sure they aren&#39;t already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of jazz, as well as a good place to start if you&#39;re asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into jazz music. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you&#39;re looking for a list of good jazz bands with which to start out. No point in listening to them if they aren&#39;t actually good or even half-way decent jazz bands.This list answers the questions &quot;who are the best jazz bands of all time?&quot; and &quot;who is the greatest jazz musician ever?&quot;If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band&#39;s music instead of just voting for the most popular jazz bands that you might&#39;ve heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote.Don&#39;t forget to share this list on your social networks so that more great artists can hit the top ranks.

Buscemi

Fusing genres like funk, soul, disco and hip hop with jazz, acid jazz has become a genre that's closely associated with club music. Acid jazz first emerged in the UK during the 1980s and became a popular subgenre of club music during the 1990s. Using jazz music more than any other dance music genre, the best acid jazz artists used danceable grooves and samples from earlier jazz albums to create a sound that had people shaking their hips in clubs. Though the genre spread for a bit, acid jazz ultimately fizzled out and nowadays, the best acid jazz artists are often regarded as jazz rap or neo jazz, but not acid jazz.&nbsp;However, that doesn't mean that acid jazz can't be celebrated. That said, what are the best acid jazz artists? No list of acid jazz artists would be complete without the likes of Jamiroquai, Brand New Heavies, Incognito and Us3 to name a few. These artists had the biggest impact on acid jazz and helped bring it to a wider audience.&nbsp;Ultimately, acid jazz fan, it's up to you vote for your favorite artist. If you notice that someone is missing from this list, feel free to add them. Vote or re-rank this list to how you see it to be fit.&nbsp;This list answers the questions "who are the best acid jazz bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest acid jazz musician ever?"If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular acid jazz bands that you might've heard of. {#nodes}

This jazz fusion bands list ranks the best jazz fusion musicians ever by votes. This list of good jazz fusion artists and groups let&rsquo;s you see who jazz fusion fans think are the best in jazz fusion.&nbsp;Of all the subgenres of jazz music, perhaps the most inventive and experimental genre is jazz fusion. Blending together elements of R&amp;B, funk, classical music, and even psychedelic music, jazz fusion grew in popularity in the 1970s with many of the best jazz fusions artists rising to prominence during this time. Though the genre tapered off in the 2000s, the 1980s and parts of the 1990s saw jazz fusion musicians experiment with their sound and the variety of styles that are infused in the sound made each album and song different in their own respect, and allowed jazz fusion bands to create music on their own terms.

So, who are the best jazz fusion artists? Any list of jazz fusion musicians has to include Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny Group and even the ubiquitous Frank Zappa (who dabbled in jazz fusion as well as rock). These are widely known as some of the best jazz fusion artists and bands that have helped bring make jazz fusion a movement and something that became widely respected over the years.

That said, it&#39;s up to you to determine who on this jazz fusion artists list can be considered the best. Jazz fusion artists are a tough breed to judge, but if you know the genre, you should know who is the best and should vote accordingly. If you notice someone isn&#39;t on this list and should be, feel free to add them.&nbsp;This list answers the questions &quot;who are the best jazz fusion bands of all time?&quot; and &quot;who is the greatest jazz fusion musician ever?&quot;&nbsp;If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band&#39;s music instead of just voting for the most popular jazz fusion musicians.

Rappers

Digable Planets

Formed at the end of the golden age of hip hop, jazz rap incorporates both of these genres to create a sound that pays tribute to the past as it does fusing it with the present. Jazz rap lyrically is political and focuses on Afrocentrism. Unlike other forms of political or militant rap, jazz rap focuses on being positive in its lyrics. Using hip hop rhythms, jazz rap's heyday was during the early 1990s before fading away. So, who are the best jazz rappers? Any list of jazz rap has to include artists like Gang Starr, A Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, Pete Rock and The Roots. These jazz rappers are also popular alternative rappers, and the artists listed remain widely respected even though some have been broken up for a while. Though jazz rap was a shooting star in terms having a widespread impact in hip hop, many jazz rappers are looked upon quite fondly and are considered rap legends.That said, it's up to you to determine who is the best jazz rap artists. If you notice that someone isn't on this list and should be, feel free to add them. This should only include artists who are known for jazz rap, and didn't just dabble in the genre because it was trendy.&nbsp;This list answers the questions &quot;who are the best jazz rap bands of all time?&quot; and &quot;who is the greatest jazz rap musician ever?&quot;&nbsp;If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular jazz rap bands that you might've heard of. {#nodes}

Jaga Jazzist

Nu jazz artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. List of good nu jazz bands includes a filter so you can sort by the groups’s label and what albums they've put out. This list of the top nu jazz bands in the world includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. Nu jazz groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. If available, you can also see information about where all nu jazz bands on this list got started. These are truly the greatest nu jazz bands of all time, since the most famous nu jazz artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the best nu jazz music. You can click on the nu <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-bands-and-artists/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">jazz band names</a> to see more information about that particular notable nu jazz group. If they're near the top of the best nu jazz artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. All the top nu jazz bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the nu jazz band names themselves. The list you're viewing is made up of artists like Mr. Scruff and RJD2. Vote for the greatest artists by clicking the thumbs up button. The most fun part of this is deciding to vote on artists like Jaga Jazzist and John Scofield.All important, significant and iconic names in nu jazz music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. You can only vote once on this list. The list includes all new nu jazz bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of nu jazz, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into nu jazz music. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good nu jazz bands with which to start out. No point in listening to them if they aren't actually good or even half-way decent nu jazz bands.This list answers the questions "who are the best nu jazz bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest nu jazz musician ever?"If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular nu jazz bands that you might've heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote.Re-rank this page as your own by re-ordering the artists, then you can share it on Tumblr,Twitter or Facebook. {#nodes}

Arturo Sandoval

Latin jazz artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. List of good latin jazz bands includes a filter so you can sort by the groups’s label and what albums they've put out. This list of the top latin jazz bands in the world includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. Latin jazz groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. If available, you can also see information about where all latin jazz bands on this list got started. These are truly the greatest latin jazz bands of all time, since the most famous latin jazz artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the best latin jazz music. You can click on the latin <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-bands-and-artists/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">jazz band names</a> to see more information about that particular notable latin jazz group. If they're near the top of the best latin jazz artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. All the top latin jazz bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the latin jazz band names themselves. List features artists like Al Di Meola and Paquito D'Rivera. Voting for your favorites gets them to rise to the top of the list. The fun of voting on multiple artists is that you get to make choices like "do I like Pat Metheny more than Gato Barbieri?"All important, significant and iconic names in latin jazz music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. You can only vote once on this list. The list includes all new latin jazz bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of latin jazz, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into latin jazz music. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good latin jazz bands with which to start out. No point in listening to them if they aren't actually good or even half-way decent latin jazz bands.This list answers the questions "who are the best latin jazz bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest latin jazz musician ever?"If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular latin jazz bands that you might've heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote.It's always fun to share these lists on your social network to see how your friends' votes impact the ranking. {#nodes}

The Lost Fingers

Gypsy jazz artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. List of good gypsy jazz bands includes a filter so you can sort by the groups’s label and what albums they've put out. This list of the top gypsy jazz bands in the world includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. Gypsy jazz groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. If available, you can also see information about where all gypsy jazz bands on this list got started. These are truly the greatest gypsy jazz bands of all time, since the most famous gypsy jazz artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the best gypsy jazz music.You can click on the gypsy <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-bands-and-artists/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">jazz band names</a> to see more information about that particular notable gypsy jazz group. If they're near the top of the best gypsy jazz artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. All the top gypsy jazz bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the gypsy jazz band names themselves.The list you're viewing is made up of many different artists, including Django Reinhardt and Al Di Meola. Any artists you vote for graduate closer to the top of the list. Make sure to give artists you favor (like John Jorgenson or Hank Marvin) a vote.All important, significant and iconic names in gypsy jazz music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. You can only vote once on this list.The list includes all new gypsy jazz bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of gypsy jazz, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into gypsy jazz music. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good gypsy jazz bands with which to start out. No point in listening to them if they aren't actually good or even half-way decent gypsy jazz bands.This list answers the questions &quot;who are the best gypsy jazz bands of all time?&quot; and &quot;who is the greatest gypsy jazz musician ever?&quot;If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular gypsy jazz bands that you might've heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote.Re-rank this page, delete artists you don't think belong, then put your personalized list up for a vote on Facebook, Tumblr or Twitter.&nbsp;

Lee Konitz

Cool jazz artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. List of good cool jazz bands includes a filter so you can sort by the groups’s label and what albums they've put out. This list of the top cool jazz <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-famous-rock-bands-right-now/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">bands in the world</a> includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. Cool jazz groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. If available, you can also see information about where all cool jazz bands on this list got started. These are truly the greatest cool jazz bands of all time, since the most famous cool jazz artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the best cool jazz music. You can click on the cool <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-bands-and-artists/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">jazz band names</a> to see more information about that particular notable cool jazz group. If they're near the top of the best cool jazz artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. All the top cool jazz bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the cool jazz band names themselves. Examples of artists on this list: Miles Davis, Jim Hall and more. Upvote your favorites and downvote the ones that don't belong to make this list better. List includes choices like Woody Herman and Jimmy Giuffre so that if you care about this subject, you can vote on at least one thing.All important, significant and iconic names in cool jazz music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. You can only vote once on this list. The list includes all new cool jazz bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of cool jazz, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into cool jazz music. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good cool jazz bands with which to start out. No point in listening to them if they aren't actually good or even half-way decent cool jazz bands.This list answers the questions "who are the best cool jazz bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest cool jazz musician ever?"If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular cool jazz bands that you might've heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote.Impact the order of the list by having your social network vote too. {#nodes}

David "Fathead" Newman

Jazz <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-blues-artists-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">blues artists list</a>, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. List of good jazz blues bands includes a filter so you can sort by the groups’s label and what albums they've put out. This list of the top jazz blues bands in the world includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. Jazz blues groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. If available, you can also see information about where all jazz blues bands on this list got started. These are truly the greatest jazz blues bands of all time, since the most famous jazz blues artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the best jazz blues music. You can click on the jazz <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/blues-rock-bands-and-musicians/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">blues band names</a> to see more information about that particular notable jazz blues group. If they're near the top of the best jazz blues artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. All the top jazz blues bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the jazz blues band names themselves. This list features artists like B.B. King and Billie Holiday. Make sure to rock the vote by upvoting the best artists on this list. If you like Norah Jones or Jimmie Vaughan, then make your voice heard.All important, significant and iconic names in jazz blues music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. You can only vote once on this list. The list includes all new jazz blues bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of jazz blues, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into jazz blues music. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good jazz blues bands with which to start out. No point in listening to them if they aren't actually good or even half-way decent jazz blues bands.This list answers the questions "who are the best jazz blues bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest jazz blues musician ever?"If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular jazz blues bands that you might've heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote.Impact the order of the list by sharing it on your Facebook feed so that your friends can vote too. {#nodes}

Andrew Hill

Avant-garde jazz artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. List of good avant-garde jazz bands includes a filter so you can sort by the groups’s label and what albums they've put out. This list of the top avant-garde jazz <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-famous-rock-bands-right-now/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">bands in the world</a> includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. Avant-garde jazz groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. If available, you can also see information about where all avant-garde jazz bands on this list got started. These are truly the greatest avant-garde jazz bands of all time, since the most famous avant-garde jazz artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the best avant-garde jazz music. You can click on the avant-garde <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-bands-and-artists/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">jazz band names</a> to see more information about that particular notable avant-garde jazz group. If they're near the top of the best avant-garde jazz artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. All the top avant-garde jazz bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the avant-garde jazz band names themselves. List is made up of a variety of artists, including Medeski Martin & Wood and Elvin Jones. Downvote your least favorite artists and upvote the best ones. The best artists on this list are the ones with the most votes, so show things like Miles Davis and John Coltrane some love.All important, significant and iconic names in avant-garde jazz music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. You can only vote once on this list. The list includes all new avant-garde jazz bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of avant-garde jazz, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into avant-garde jazz music. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good avant-garde jazz bands with which to start out. No point in listening to them if they aren't actually good or even half-way decent avant-garde jazz bands.This list answers the questions "who are the best avant-garde jazz bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest avant-garde jazz musician ever?"If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular avant-garde jazz bands that you might've heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote.Get your social circle's opnion by re-ranking this list, making it votable then sharing it on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and more. {#nodes}

David Jaymes

Afro-cuban jazz artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. List of good afro-cuban jazz bands includes a filter so you can sort by the groups’s label and what albums they've put out. This list of the top afro-cuban jazz bands in the world includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. Afro-cuban jazz groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. If available, you can also see information about where all afro-cuban jazz bands on this list got started. These are truly the greatest afro-cuban jazz bands of all time, since the most famous afro-cuban jazz artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the best afro-cuban jazz music.You can click on the afro-cuban <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-bands-and-artists/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">jazz band names</a> to see more information about that particular notable afro-cuban jazz group. If they're near the top of the best afro-cuban jazz artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. All the top afro-cuban jazz bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the afro-cuban jazz band names themselves.Paquito D'Rivera and Dizzy Gillespie are included on this list. Rank your favorite artists to see them get to the top of the list. If you're not a fan of Tito Puente or Irvin Mayfield, then vote those down so that the list takes your preferences into account.All important, significant and iconic names in afro-cuban jazz music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. You can only vote once on this list.The list includes all new afro-cuban jazz bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of afro-cuban jazz, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into afro-cuban jazz music. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good afro-cuban jazz bands with which to start out. No point in listening to them if they aren't actually good or even half-way decent afro-cuban jazz bands.This list answers the questions &quot;who are the best afro-cuban jazz bands of all time?&quot; and &quot;who is the greatest afro-cuban jazz musician ever?&quot;If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular afro-cuban jazz bands that you might've heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote.After you've voted for the best ones, share this on Facebook, Twitter and more to get your network's input.&nbsp;

Punk

Lydia Lunch

Punk jazz artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. List of good punk jazz bands includes a filter so you can sort by the groups’s label and what albums they've put out. This list of the top punk jazz bands in the world includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. Punk jazz groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. If available, you can also see information about where all punk jazz bands on this list got started. These are truly the greatest punk jazz bands of all time, since the most famous punk jazz artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the best punk jazz music. You can click on the punk <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-bands-and-artists/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">jazz band names</a> to see more information about that particular notable punk jazz group. If they're near the top of the best punk jazz artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. All the top punk jazz bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the punk jazz band names themselves. The list you're viewing is made up of different artists like Chad Smith and Greg Ginn. Dowvote the artists you don't like and upvote the ones you do. The order changes depending on votes. If you're not a fan of Lydia Lunch or Bill Laswell, then vote those down so that the list takes your preferences into account.All important, significant and iconic names in punk jazz music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. You can only vote once on this list. The list includes all new punk jazz bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of punk jazz, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into punk jazz music. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good punk jazz bands with which to start out. No point in listening to them if they aren't actually good or even half-way decent punk jazz bands.This list answers the questions "who are the best punk jazz bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest punk jazz musician ever?"If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular punk jazz bands that you might've heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote.Share the list after re-ranking it to fit your opinions and making it votable to see how all your friends vote. {#nodes}

Bands/Musicians

Lonnie Smith

Soul jazz artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. List of good soul jazz bands includes a filter so you can sort by the groups’s label and what albums they've put out. This list of the top soul jazz <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-famous-rock-bands-right-now/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">bands in the world</a> includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. Soul jazz groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. If available, you can also see information about where all soul jazz bands on this list got started. These are truly the greatest soul jazz bands of all time, since the most famous soul jazz artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the best soul jazz music. You can click on the soul <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-bands-and-artists/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">jazz band names</a> to see more information about that particular notable soul jazz group. If they're near the top of the best soul jazz artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. All the top soul jazz bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the soul jazz band names themselves. List contains artists like Medeski Martin & Wood and Erykah Badu. You get to decide which ones are the "best" artists by voting for your favorites right on the list. Make sure you always vote for stuff like Booker T. & the M.G.'s or Luther Vandross if you like it.All important, significant and iconic names in soul jazz music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. You can only vote once on this list. The list includes all new soul jazz bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of soul jazz, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into soul jazz music. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good soul jazz bands with which to start out. No point in listening to them if they aren't actually good or even half-way decent soul jazz bands.This list answers the questions "who are the best soul jazz bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest soul jazz musician ever?"If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular soul jazz bands that you might've heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote.You can get your social network's opinion by re-ranking the list to fit your opinions, then sharing it on any social sites you're a part of. {#nodes}

Tamir Hendelman

Brazilian jazz artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. List of good brazilian jazz bands includes a filter so you can sort by the groups’s label and what albums they've put out. This list of the top brazilian jazz bands in the world includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. Brazilian jazz groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. If available, you can also see information about where all brazilian jazz bands on this list got started. These are truly the greatest brazilian jazz bands of all time, since the most famous brazilian jazz artists ever are listed, and the order is decided by actual fans of the best brazilian jazz music. You can click on the brazilian <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-bands-and-artists/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">jazz band names</a> to see more information about that particular notable brazilian jazz group. If they're near the top of the best brazilian jazz artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. All the top brazilian jazz bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the brazilian jazz band names themselves. This list below has a variety of artists in it, from Donald Harrison to Charlie Byrd. Vote up your favorite artists to see them get closer to the top of the list. The best artists on this list are the ones with the most votes, so show things like Toquinho and Antônio Carlos Jobim some love.All important, significant and iconic names in brazilian jazz music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. You can only vote once on this list. The list includes all new brazilian jazz bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of brazilian jazz, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into brazilian jazz music. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good brazilian jazz bands with which to start out. No point in listening to them if they aren't actually good or even half-way decent brazilian jazz bands.This list answers the questions "who are the best brazilian jazz bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest brazilian jazz musician ever?"If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular brazilian jazz bands that you might've heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote.Re-rank this entire page then share it to see what your friends think. {#nodes}

All That Jazz

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Greatest Jazz Guitarists of All Time | List of the Best Jazz Guitarists In History

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Joe Pass

Joe Pass (born Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalaqua; January 13, 1929 – May 23, 1994) was an American jazz guitarist of Sicilian descent. He is considered one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century. He created possibilities for jazz guitar through his style of chord-melody, his knowledge of chord inversions and progressions, and his use of walking basslines and counterpoint during improvisation. Pass worked often with pianist Oscar Peterson and vocalist Ella Fitzgerald.

Django Reinhardt

Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953) stage name Django Reinhardt (French: [dʒãŋɡo ʁɛjnaʁt] or [dʒɑ̃ɡo ʁenɑʁt]), was a Belgian-born Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer, regarded as one of the greatest musicians of the twentieth century. He was the first jazz talent to emerge from Europe and remains the most significant.With violinist Stéphane Grappelli, Reinhardt formed the Paris-based Quintette du Hot Club de France in 1934. The group was among the first to play jazz that featured the guitar as a lead instrument. Reinhardt recorded in France with many visiting American musicians, including Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter, and briefly toured the United States with Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1946. He died suddenly of a stroke at the age of 43.
Reinhardt's most popular compositions have become standards within gypsy jazz, including "Minor Swing", "Daphne", "Belleville", "Djangology", "Swing '42", and "Nuages". Jazz guitarist Frank Vignola claims that nearly every major popular-music guitarist in the world has been influenced by Reinhardt. Over the last few decades, annual Django festivals have been held throughout Europe and the U.S., and a biography has been written about his life. In February 2017, the Berlin International Film Festival held the world premiere of the French film, Django.

John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, 1923 – June 15, 1968) was an American jazz guitarist. Montgomery was known for an unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb which granted him a distinctive sound. He often worked with his brothers Buddy and Monk and with organist Jimmy Smith. Montgomery's recordings up to 1965 were oriented towards hard bop, soul jazz, and post bop, but around 1965 he began recording more pop-oriented instrumental albums that found mainstream success. His later guitar style influenced jazz fusion and smooth jazz.

Barney Kessel

Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Noted in particular for his knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies, he was a member of many prominent jazz groups as well as a "first call" guitarist for studio, film, and television recording sessions. Kessel was a member of the group of session musicians informally known as the Wrecking Crew.

Jim Hall

James Stanley Hall (December 4, 1930 – December 10, 2013) was an American jazz guitarist, composer and arranger.  Premier Guitar magazine stated that "It could be argued that the jazz guitar tree is rooted in four names: Django [Reinhardt], Charlie [Christian], Wes [Montgomery], and Jim [Hall]".

Herb Ellis

Mitchell Herbert Ellis (August 4, 1921 – March 28, 2010), known professionally as Herb Ellis, was an American jazz guitarist. During the 1950s, he was in a trio with pianist Oscar Peterson.

Grant Green

Grant Green (June 6, 1935 – January 31, 1979) was an American jazz guitarist and composer.
Recording prolifically and mainly for Blue Note Records as both leader and sideman, Green performed in the hard bop, soul jazz, bebop, and Latin-tinged idioms throughout his career. Critics Michael Erlewine and Ron Wynn write, "A severely underrated player during his lifetime, Grant Green is one of the great unsung heroes of jazz guitar ... Green's playing is immediately recognizable – perhaps more than any other guitarist." Critic Dave Hunter described his sound as "lithe, loose, slightly bluesy and righteously groovy". He often performed in an organ trio, a small group with an organ and drummer.
Apart from guitarist Charlie Christian, Green's primary influences were saxophonists, particularly Charlie Parker, and his approach was therefore almost exclusively linear rather than chordal. He thus rarely played rhythm guitar except as a sideman on albums led by other musicians. The simplicity and immediacy of Green's playing, which tended to avoid chromaticism, derived from his early work playing rhythm and blues and, although at his best he achieved a synthesis of this style with bop, he was essentially a blues guitarist and returned almost exclusively to this style in his later career.

Gábor Szabó

Gábor István Szabó (March 8, 1936 – February 26, 1982) was a Hungarian American guitarist whose style incorporated jazz, pop, rock, and Hungarian music.

John Scofield

John Scofield (born December 26, 1951), sometimes referred to as "Sco", is an American jazz-rock guitarist and composer whose music includes bebop, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul, and rock. He has worked with Miles Davis, Dave Liebman, Joe Henderson, Charles Mingus, Joey DeFrancesco, Herbie Hancock, Eddie Palmieri, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, Pat Martino, Mavis Staples, Phil Lesh, Billy Cobham, Medeski Martin & Wood, George Duke, Jaco Pastorius, John Mayer, Robert Glasper, and Gov't Mule.

George Benson

George Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 21 as a jazz guitarist. Benson uses a rest-stroke picking technique similar to that of gypsy jazz players such as Django Reinhardt.
A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, playing soul jazz with Jack McDuff and others. He then launched a successful solo career, alternating between jazz, pop, R&B singing, and scat singing. His album Breezin' was certified triple-platinum, hitting no. 1 on the Billboard album chart in 1976. His concerts were well attended through the 1980s, and he still has a large following. Benson has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Charlie Christian

Charles Henry Christian (July 29, 1916 – March 2, 1942) was an American swing and jazz guitarist.
Christian was an important early performer on the electric guitar and a key figure in the development of bebop and cool jazz. He gained national exposure as a member of the Benny Goodman Sextet and Orchestra from August 1939 to June 1941. His single-string technique, combined with amplification, helped bring the guitar out of the rhythm section and into the forefront as a solo instrument. John Hammond and George T. Simon called Christian the best improvisational talent of the swing era. In the liner notes to the album Solo Flight: The Genius of Charlie Christian (Columbia, 1972), Gene Lees wrote that "Many critics and musicians consider that Christian was one of the founding fathers of bebop, or if not that, at least a precursor to it."Christian's influence reached beyond jazz and swing. In 1990, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the category Early Influence.
In 2006 Oklahoma City renamed a street in its Bricktown entertainment district "Charlie Christian Avenue" (Christian was raised in Oklahoma City and was one of many musicians who jammed along the city's "Deep Deuce" section on N.E. Second Street).

Les Paul

Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar, and his techniques served as inspiration for the Gibson Les Paul. Paul taught himself how to play guitar, and while he is mainly known for jazz and popular music, he had an early career in country music. He is credited with many recording innovations. Although he was not the first to use the technique, his early experiments with overdubbing (also known as sound on sound), delay effects such as tape delay, phasing effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention.His innovative talents extended into his playing style, including licks, trills, chording sequences, fretting techniques and timing, which set him apart from his contemporaries and inspired many guitarists of the present day. He recorded with his wife, the singer and guitarist Mary Ford, in the 1950s, and they sold millions of records.
Among his many honors, Paul is one of a handful of artists with a permanent, stand-alone exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is prominently named by the music museum on its website as an "architect" and a "key inductee" with Sam Phillips and Alan Freed. Les Paul is the only person to be included in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Pat Martino

Pat Martino (born August 25, 1944) is a jazz guitarist and composer.

John McLaughlin

John McLaughlin (born 4 January 1942), also known as Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, is an English guitarist, bandleader and composer. His music includes many genres of jazz, combined with elements of rock, Indian classical music, Western classical music, flamenco, and blues. He is one of the pioneering figures in fusion.
After contributing to several key British groups of the early 1960s, McLaughlin made Extrapolation, his first album as a bandleader, in 1969. He then moved to the U.S., where he played with Tony Williams's group Lifetime and then with Miles Davis on his electric jazz-fusion albums In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, Jack Johnson, and On the Corner. His 1970s electric band, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, performed a technically virtuosic and complex style of music that fused electric jazz and rock with Indian influences.
McLaughlin's solo on "Miles Beyond" from his album Live at Ronnie Scott's won the 2018 Grammy Award for the Best Improvised Jazz Solo. He has been awarded multiple "Guitarist of the Year" and "Best Jazz Guitarist" awards from magazines such as DownBeat and Guitar Player based on reader polls. In 2003, he was ranked 49th in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".  In 2009, DownBeat included McLaughlin in its unranked list of "75 Great Guitarists", in the "Modern Jazz Maestros" category.  In 2012, Guitar World magazine ranked him 63rd on its top 100 list. In 2010, Jeff Beck called McLaughlin "the best guitarist alive," and Pat Metheny has also described him as the world's greatest guitarist.

Larry Carlton

Larry Eugene Carlton (born March 2, 1948) is an American guitarist who built his career as a studio musician in the 1970s and '80s for acts such as Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell. He has participated in thousands of recording sessions, recorded on hundreds of albums in many genres, for television and movies, and on more than 100 gold records. He has been a member of the jazz fusion group The Crusaders and smooth jazz band Fourplay and has maintained a long solo career.

Pat Metheny

Patrick Bruce Metheny ( mə-THEE-nee; born August 12, 1954) is an American jazz guitarist and composer.
He is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works, and other side projects. His style incorporates elements of progressive and contemporary jazz, Latin jazz, and jazz fusion. Metheny has three gold albums and 20 Grammy Awards and is the only person to win Grammys in 10 categories. He is the brother of jazz flugelhornist Mike Metheny.

Ulf Wakenius

Ulf Karl Erik Wakenius (born 16 April 1958) is a Swedish jazz guitarist, known as a member of Oscar Peterson's last quartet from 1997. He was also a member of the Ray Brown trio. He is the leader of his own band, and has recorded many albums.

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Bill Frisell

William Richard Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is an American guitarist, composer and arranger. One of the leading guitarists in jazz since the late 1980s, Frisell came to prominence as a stalwart for ECM Records. He went on to work in a variety of contexts, notably as a member of the New York City Downtown Scene where he formed a long partnership with John Zorn. He was also a longtime member of Paul Motian's groups from the early 1980s until Motian's death in 2011. Since 2000, Frisell's eclectic output as a bandleader has emphasized folk, country music, and Americana.

John Abercrombie

John Laird Abercrombie (December 16, 1944 – August 22, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist. His work explored jazz fusion, free jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Abercrombie studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He was known for his understated style and his work with organ trios.

Talmage Holt Farlow (June 7, 1921 – July 25, 1998) was an American jazz guitarist. He was nicknamed "Octopus" because of how his large, quick hands spread over the fretboard. As Steve Rochinski notes, "Of all the guitarists to emerge in the first generation after Charlie Christian, Tal Farlow, more than any other, has been able to move beyond the rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic vocabulary associated with the early electric guitar master. Tal's incredible speed, long, weaving lines, rhythmic excitement, highly developed harmonic sense, and enormous reach (both physical and musical) have enabled him to create a style that clearly stands apart from the rest." Where guitarists of his day combined rhythmic chords with linear melodies, Farlow placed single notes together in clusters, varying between harmonically enriched tones. As music critic Stuart Nicholson put it, "In terms of guitar prowess, it was the equivalent of Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile."

Mike Stern

Mike Stern (born January 10, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist. After playing with Blood, Sweat & Tears, he worked with drummer Billy Cobham, then with trumpeter Miles Davis from 1981 to 1983 and again in 1985. He then began a solo career, releasing more than a dozen albums.
Stern was named Best Jazz Guitarist of 1993 by Guitar Player magazine. At the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal in June 2007, he was given the Miles Davis Award, which was created to recognize internationally acclaimed jazz artists whose work has contributed significantly to the renewal of the genre. In 2009 Stern was listed on Down Beat's list of 75 best jazz guitarist of all time. He received Guitar Player magazine's Certified Legend Award on January 21, 2012.



Steve Morse

Steve Morse (born July 28, 1954) is an American guitarist and composer, best known as the founder of the Dixie Dregs; and since 1994, the guitar player of Deep Purple. Morse's career has encompassed rock, country, funk, jazz, classical, and fusion of these musical genres. In addition to his successful solo career, he was briefly a member of Kansas in the mid-1980s.  Most recently, Morse became a member of the supergroup Flying Colors alongside long-time bandmate Dave LaRue.

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Allan Holdsworth

Allan Holdsworth (6 August 1946 – 15 April 2017) was a British guitarist and composer. He released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played a variety of musical styles in a career spanning more than four decades, but is best known for his work in jazz fusion.
Holdsworth was known for his advanced knowledge of music, through which he incorporated a vast array of complex chord progressions and intricate solos; the latter comprising myriad scale forms often derived from those such as the diminished, augmented, whole tone, chromatic and altered scales, among others, resulting in an unpredictable and "outside" sound. His unique legato soloing technique stemmed from his original desire to play the saxophone. Unable to afford one, he strove to use the guitar to create similarly smooth lines of notes. He also became associated with playing an early form of guitar synthesizer called the SynthAxe, a company he endorsed in the 1980s.
Holdsworth was cited as an influence by a host of rock, metal and jazz guitarists such as Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Greg Howe, Shawn Lane, Richie Kotzen, John Petrucci, Alex Lifeson, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Romeo, Ty Tabor, and Tom Morello. Frank Zappa once lauded him as "one of the most interesting guys on guitar on the planet", while Robben Ford has said: "I think Allan Holdsworth is the John Coltrane of the guitar. I don't think anyone can do as much with the guitar as Allan Holdsworth can."

Earl Klugh

Earl Klugh ( KLOO; born September 16, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist and composer. In 2006 Modern Guitar magazine wrote that Klugh "is considered by many to be one of the finest acoustic guitar players today."

Larry Coryell

Larry Coryell (born Lorenz Albert Van DeLinder III; April 2, 1943 – February 19, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist known as the "Godfather of Fusion".

When jazz took the stage it forever changed the world of music. Jazz is infused into almost all genres of music, even subtly. Mastering any kind of guitar is ...