My list of the top 20 guitarist ever (in reverse order)
Now updated!
After completing my list, I realized that there were no women included. It is true that the world of guitar is dominated by men, but there are a few talented ladies also. Here is an attempt to redress the balance, with the best female rock guitarist and the best jazz player. These girls could teach most males a thing or two about guitar…
Best female rock guitarist:
 Orianthi Featured in the ‘This is it’ movie of the Michael Jackson tour that never was. Australian born Orianthi has plenty of technical ability. I loved what she played with Jackson, but would not class her style of guitar playing as easy listening. She would probably take that as a complement  |
Best female jazz guitarist:
 Emily Remler I still feel a little sad when I think of what could have been had Emily not died of a heart attack aged 32. She is loved and remembered by her fan club who still keep a torch burning for her on the web. Photo, courtesy of www.allthingsemily.com Here she is playing one of my favourite tunes |
My all time top 20 most influential guitarists:
20  Paco de Lucia, Winner of the prestigious 2004 Prince of Asturias award for the arts. Loved by me for his recording of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, for which he had to learn to read music. Unloved by Spanish guitarist Narciso Yepes, who called it “terrible” and “lacking technique“. Not so, the performance is brilliant and in the spirit of the original composition, as confirmed by Rodrigo, who was in the audience at the time. See if you agree |
19  Bill Connors, Pictured here playing an L5!!! The first rock guitarist that really turned me on to Jazz. I heard Bill in 1974 with Chick Corea’s Return to Forever band. If your nerves can take it, check out this recording of Layla, stick with it to hear some lunatic guitar work at the end. Definitely not the ‘Slow Hand’ Eric Clapton version! |
18  Martin Taylor, “One of the most awsome solo guitarists in the history of the instrument”. (says Pat Metheny). By the way, sorry you did not make it to my list Pat, another legend, but not an influence on me. You can see from the diary, Martin likes to keep busy (when does he find time to practice?) Stomping at the Savoy … |
17  Kenny Burrell, playing it cool for years, a distinct style, I especially like the nylon string guitar recordings as featured on Moon & Sand from 1979 for 32 Jazz. |
16  John Pizzarelli, This guy sings as well as he plays guitar. I hate him for it. :( IMHO an utterly brilliant guitarist and son of the infamous Bucky Pizzarelli who is also no slouch.Check out this live version of I Got Rhtythm Holy crapppp!!! |
15  Django Reinhardt, arguably the most influential guitarist of all time. Famous for the Hot Club of France gypsy style of jazz with violinist Stephane Grappelli. Notice the tweed jacket. Did John Pizzarelli (pictured above) inherit it? Django overcame a crippling hand injury to become the most famous guitarist of a generation. |
14  Jim Mullen, the most beloved British Fusion Jazz Guitarist. Playing with his thumb instead of a pic and at amazing speed. I especially love his early recordings with Dick Morrisey as well as the Organ Trio. He just keeps getting better and better. Check the fluid and confident phrasing, as he plays on If you read music, follow the score here… |
13  Andres Segovia, the master. I was lucky enough to hear him play in my home town when I was 14. Heiter Villa Lobos dedicated his famous 12 etudes after the 1928 US tour. Early recordings of his Bach transcriptions were inspirational for me. Whilst there are many fine Spanish guitarists playing today. The most evocative sounds ever made on the guitar remain those of this gentle genius. |
12  Tal Farlow, I was lucky enough to hear Tal playing in Cardiff on his last tour of UK. My father was on Bass and he was accompanied by Mike Briton. Tal Played some very strange sounding lines, but it was great to see and hear this icon of the Jazz guitar playing live. Sadly he died in 1998  |
11  Baden Powell de Aquino, not the Scout Master, just one of the great Brazilian guitarist. Once you have heard this, there is no going back.I love his rhythmic vibrant style, which is hard to imitate. The world is a poorer place without him. |
10  Johnny Smith, Harmonic genius of the Cool School and one of my all time heroes! You need fingers two feet long to imitate the closed-position chord voicings which characterize his playing. Best known for his critically acclaimed 1952 Moon Light in Vermont album featuring Stan Getz. The Johnny Smith sound, inimitable… |
9  Yamandu Costa, right now arguably the finest guitarist in Brazil today. Brutally fast, melodic, accurate and a true prodigy. He plays a 7 string guitar and exploits the extended range with technical brilliance to produce a distinctly Brazilian sound. Hearing Yamandu changed the whole way I think about guitar. Check out his version of Disparada… |
8  Louis Stewart, pictured here with Bobby Wellins. Some have said that he is one of the finest bebop guitarist alive. Don’t take my word for it, check this out… |
7  Charlie Christian without doubt the most influential jazz guitarist to ever have lived. Died aged only 25 . A swing guitarist of the Benny Goodman era, energetic and inspiring. I never get tired of listing to Swing to the Bop from the jam sessions recorded at Minton’s Playhouse NYC 1941. |
6  Jim Hall makes playing the guitar sound easy. It’s not. I love his sensitive and though provoking style of playing. Its deep! The recordings with Paul Desmond are my favourite. Here he is playing with the awesome pianist Petrucciani, who is sadly no longer with us. Beautiful Love |
5  Herb Ellis, a seriously influential guitarist for me. I especially liked the recordings with Joe Pass. I recall he was difficult to work with when I engineered sound at a Bristol concert years back. Probably jet-lag. The session included an arrangement of Georgia, which I still play ;) Image thanks to Vernon Hyde . Here is the cantankerous old bugger strutting his stuff … |
4  Wes Montgomery if you have never heard of him, what planet have you been living on? Played with his thumb instead of a plectrum, giving a smooth rounded sound. My favourite album is the 1960 Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery as quartet with Tommy Flanagan on piano. Here he is playing Round Midnight |
3  Barney Kessel, the guitarist who most influenced me on plectrum guitar. A great session musician who recorded for the Beachboys as well as The Monkeys. My favourite Kessel album is the 1957 Poll Winners with Shelly Manne and Ray Brown. Here he is on an old video playing Autumn Leaves voicing some of the bass notes in the left hand with his thumb. True five fingered playing… (Emily Remler did not approve of this style, saying that it was “playing like Jimmy Hendrix”)! |
2  George Benson funky and brilliant, can sing a bit When I heard him at the Birmingham NEC a few years back, a woman next to me said “I did not know he could play guitar“ Hell yes!!! |
1  Joe Pass the most influential and for me personally, the greatest guitarist of all time. Others have imitated his style, but he was the first and still is the best IMHO. Immaculate, precise pic work and fingerstlye jazz guitar. I saw him play at Ronnie Scott’s in 1985. My life has been downhill ever since. Here he is playing Satin Doll |
What started off as 10 minutes of fun, posting a few lines about my favourite guitarists turned into a bit of a marathon. However, in doing so I am reminded of my place in the order of things. I have really enjoyed putting together this list and revisiting some of the music I grew up with.
Let me know who you would vote for.
Are you guys kidding me? How can you leave out Earl Klugh? Oh, MOST INFLUENTIAL, not BEST…because I would not have any respect for you if Earl was left off THE BEST GUITAR PLAYERS OF ALL TIME list.