Regardless if you’re a beginning student of Jazz Guitar or an established player, we all have at least five albums that we cannot be without! With that said, Jazz Guitar Life has asked US born but now Finland based Latin Jazz Guitarist Neff Irizarry what his five would be (assuming that he knew before hand that he was going to be stuck on a desert island and that said island had electricity and a full component stereo system) 🙂
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Wynton Kelly Trio/Wes Montgomery – Smokin’ at the Half Note: This has to be one of my favorite Wes records because of how he plays with time in such a compelling way. “What’s new and “Misty” are forever etched in my mind. Everything he plays feels so right, with that perfect blend of personality, touch, lines, chords, and rhythm. Just killing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtuBOj1jIGw
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Paul Desmond –The Complete RCA Victor Recordings: I’ve always loved the interaction between Paul Desmond and Jim Hall. Jim’s contributions to Paul’s repertoire during this time stand as a well-balanced treatise on what jazz guitar was to become. The voicings, timing, harmonic ideas, and lines on these recordings are an ideal to strive for. The way Jim accompanies Paul’s every motivic turn is sublime, and his concept really crystallized during his tenure with Paul. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfNh9KsRxkk
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Ralph Towner/Gary Burton – Slideshow: From his nylon and 12-string playing, Ralph dazzles with sublime soundscapes, timing, open string voicings, articulation, and great compositions. You can feel every pluck, strum, “rasgueo,” and thump he plays. His unique approach to prepared guitar with a “Matchbook” is pure bliss, and he and Gary complement each other beautifully. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp_evJegu58
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Pat Metheny – Rejoicing: In my opinion, Rejoicing represents some of Pat’s best trio playing. His connection with Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins feels otherworldly. His take on “Lonely Woman” is one of the most sincere and powerful interpretations of Horace Silver’s music by a guitarist. This record keeps giving, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to it—it’s truly inspiring. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYbqFwFHAGQ
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Steve Khan – Crossings: This one is personal. Crossings left a lasting mark on me as a guitarist. Steve’s harmonic sense, lines, group interplay (Brecker, Jackson, Chambers, and Badrena), and arrangements of standards are on another level. More people should check him out. Looking at these five picks, I realize how they all converge into my own guitar palette in such a multifaceted way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3PeQlFGg1Y
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Please consider spreading the word about Neff and Jazz Guitar Life by sharing these Desert Island Picks amongst your social media pals and please feel free to leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you 🙂
If you would like to support all the work I do on Jazz Guitar Life, please consider buying me a coffee or visiting the Jazz Guitar Life sponsors. Thank you and your patronage is greatly appreciated regardless if you buy me a coffee or not 🙂
Neff has a keen handle of Jazz Guitar and the masters of the craft! My list would start at his and include some early masters from Eddie Lang, Django, Charlie Christian, and early George Benson…
Hi Al and thanks for adding to Neff’s list. Don’t forget, he only had 5 picks to include…:)
Take care and all the best.
Lyle – Jazz Guitar Life
Great picks Neff!! I’d have to think hard about my top five albums but certainly Ben Monder’s Day After Day would be up there.
Hi Marc and thanks for the comment. I’ll let Neff know that you left one. And Ben Monder is a great choice 🙂
Thanks and take care.
Lyle – Jazz Guitar Life