Customer Reviews

Pioneers of Jazz Guitar: 1927-1939

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This wonderful CD contains all of Eddie Lang's small group sessions as a leader, his duets with Carl Kress are amazing, this set also features Carl Kress' complete small group sessions as a leader as well as Dick McDonough's. Essentail jazz guitar, if you like Django you'll like this too.

These tracks represent some of the earliest and most influential recordings of jazz and jazz related guitar performances. They should be a part of anyone's music collection who has an interest in jazz guitar and its history. Without a doubt, five stars.

The first twelve tracks of this compilation consist of all the guitar solos recorded by Eddie Lang in 1927 and 1928, the two duets he recorded with Carl Kress in 1932, the four duets the latter recorded with Dick McDonough in 1934 and 1937, and Kress' five 1938/9 solos.

Some of these numbers, taken in isolation, would fall outside the jazz canon, but the importance of these three men to the development of a jazz guitar style cannot be overstated. Indeed Lang was the first string player to switch from the banjo, and although he died prematurely in 1933 his technique influenced all those who heard him, either in person or on record.

The brief partnership of Lang and Kress produced two masterpieces, and in fact every track is a delight, each one revealing yet another facet of the instrument. In fact this CD could well serve as a textbook to playing the acoustic guitar. An informative liner note by Scott Yanow rounds off the package.

Such modern, advanced playing, coming from man who died a decade before bebop was born. I can only imagine what Lang would've created with the harmonic freedom bop would give him, & the tonal possibilities electric guitar would add.

Jazz guitar worth listening to. This cd is very appealing. It has the advantage for me of being easy for non afficianados to listen to. While I am enjoying the blue notes and twangs of early jazz guitar, the casual listener also has some easy music to enjoy.