Grant Green Article

Nicolai Foss

Here is a learned and informative online article by Andrew Scott on Grant Green’s approach to the blues. The article includes three transcriptions. A key point is that Grant’s improvisatory approach was consistent throughtout his career, and didn’t change during his later “commercial” period. Here is a summary of the article:

My intentions in this article are twofold. First, I provide a musical and style analysis that aids understanding of Green’s improvisations. Second, I use my analysis of the three solos to counter writers Michel Cuscuna and Ben Sidran who assert that Green’s “commercial” output was inferior to his jazz recordings. [6] My transcription and analysis dispute these aforementioned critics, demonstrating that Green’s improvisatory style remained consistent throughout his career. Lastly, I suggest that rather than his playing, it was Green’s changing aggregations and repertoire that critics found problematic.

Wes Transcriptions

Nicolai Foss

OK, more transcriptions. Wes solos. “Satin Doll” is there. When I took lessons from Russian jazz guitarists Nicolai Gromin 25 years ago, he had his pupils learn that solo. I still remember it by heart.

Brent Stuntzner’s Jazz Guitar Transcriptions

Nicolai Foss

Check out Brent Stuntzner’s site, which is “intended as a resource for the aspiring jazz musician as well as a resource for the aspiring luthier.” He has a very nice page with transcriptions that are easy to print out (often a problem with transcription pages). Transcriptions include solos by Pat Martino, Howard Alden, Barney Kessel and others. You may also be interested in the lutherie pages, e.g., this one with lots of suggestions for readings.

Bebop Guitar — Transcriptions

Nicolai Foss

Thomas Phleps, a Professor of “Musikwissenschaft” (no idea what the English equivalent is), has transcribed 25 classic bebop guitar solos, by the likes of Jimmy Raney, Chuck Wayne, Bill DeArango, Arv Garrison, and others (including Tiny Grimes!). They can be found here. So, if you are looking for new ideas, lift some from the Early Masters.

Phleps also has a Bill DeArango discography here, which is very useful for locating the works of this seldomly recorded, much overlooked, but excellent bop guitarist.