Customer Reviews

Solo Guitar

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been playing guitar for over 20 years. I love Wes Montgomery, Ed Bickert, John Scofield, Jim Hall, Bill frisell, Grant Green, and many others. But you now have an idea of my tatse.

Having said this it wasn't until last year that my brother turned me on to this CD. My first thought was, "if he was that great I would have already owned this CD years ago." But on my brother's word I picked this CD up. My first impression? "Amazing!"

This entire CD runs less than 40 minutes. But it's definately a case of quality over quantity. From the first song to the last there is not a single dud. Every song is amazingly arranged with heartfelt passion and precision. Easily one of my top 10 desert island discs. And from me that's saying a lot.

Ted's style is very similar to Lenny Breau. Finger picks everything. Each track sounds as though there are two tracks playing at once. But it's simply a very talented individual pouring his heart out for you.

If you read about Ted's life (he's no longer with us) you'll find he was a very humble man. He was a student of music (all forms) and also one of the most respected teachers in the art. For Ted, teaching others was more important than his own recording success. As a result, this is sadly his only commercial recording.

The album was recorded with Ted playing with two mics, one in front of his amp and one in front of a rotating Leslie. This gives his sound an etheral chorus effect.

If you're looking for a jazz CD don't let the pop titles of a few of these tracks fool you. They are all given a warm treatment. Give the samples a listen and you'll see what I mean.

If you're on the fence about purchasing this CD, just dive right in. You will not regret it. The music is very accesible regardless of your tastes and musical background. It's not a coincidence that this CD's reviews are all 5 stars.

Enjoy!

I have been listening to this album by my dear friend Ted Greene since it first came out in 1977. I still, to this day, hear and learn something new every time I hear it. It is very beautiful and soulful music, as well as an encyclopedia of chord voicings, substitutions, modulations, harmonics and more. The deep soul of Ted's music is in his use of chords. I am inspired, nourished and educated on every listening. It is very wonderful to have it available again, thanks to Paul G. Kohler at Art of Life Records and Ted.

George Winston - Pianist

Ted Greene's legendary "Solo Guitar" album, first released on LP in 1977, has been an inspiration to fingerstyle Jazz guitarists for over a quarter century. By the recent release of this album on compact disc, Art of Life Records has added to its already impressive catalog of Jazz guitar music. The nine songs on the album are all perfectly realized gems of tasteful and inspired Jazz guitar playing, so beautiful and fresh sounding even after all these years. There's a feeling of perfect proportion, characteristic of much great art and music. A full spectrum of emotion and harmonic vision is expressed, in a very inviting and rewarding manner.

Josh Gordon - Just Jazz Guitar Magazine

Ted was a supreme artist who remains unmatched to this day in his skills as a technician.After you hear Ted play those flawless runs and chord flourishes you will be floored.Ted plays all the instruments on this album and that in itself shouldn't be too surprising since many musicians have taken up the role of multi-instrumentalist over the years...till you find out that there is only one instrument being played on this album!Just guitar folks,just guitar(in the immortal word's of Porky Pig,"thats all folks!").Jazz organ,harp,strings,all emulated effortlessly by the magic fingers of Ted Greene.You owe it to yourself to buy this album especially in light of his recent passing.But above all to own a piece of what is sure to become jazz history.

Beautiful music from a true master of the solo jazz style guitar. Ted Greene who is recently deceased at the age of 58 should have had more attention over the years, but he had primarily dedicated himself to teaching. Very much in the George Van Eps school of paying, he creates clever and interesting reharmonizations of pop and jazz tunes. This was recordind in the 1970s. The listener should seek out some John Pisano CDs on which Ted took some guest spots in the last few years. John is great anyway and you will enjoy his work also.

I'd read and worked with two of Ted's books before I heard this album back in '77. My reaction to the books was 'great..but why would anyone work this hard.' When I heard Ted play, suddenly I knew. It is important to realize, while you're listening, that it is Ted playing, by himself, live, with no overdubs. That the lush harmonies, inventive bass lines, and pristine, elegant melodies are being created by one person as you hear them. You'll find yourself continuously lulled into thinking it's three people, not one. The diversity of tone colors and interplay of the bass, melody, and harmony just doesn't seem like it could possibly be coming live from one instrument. But it is. Buy this recording. Hear what is possible for a true master of the electric guitar. You may find that there are parts of it you don't like, but even they will astound you. One man, one guitar, one hell of an achievement.

Ted Greene has the deepest ears that music can flow through. He is totally in touch with the potential of harmonic constructions. On this record he defies the technical physics of Jazz melody chord voicings but creates an organic and inspired listening delight. A must for anyone who puts their fingers on an instrument with strings.

Steve Vai - Guitarist

The only thing bad about this album is its the only recording Ted ever released. And now that Ted has passed away there isn't a chance of a 2nd album. I bought the LP to this recording back in 1980 and wore a hole through it trying to learn Ted's great chord voicings and wonderful arrangements. He is/was the best I've ever heard at this type of guitar playing. I had the great fortune to meet Ted and spend a number of afternoons talking guitar with him. He was one of the most humble, genuine people I've had the pleasure to know. Buy this CD, you won't regret it.

I am a George Van Eps lover. I came by this reissue when I was shopping for Van Eps CDs. The listening of the arrangements of these songs is a wonderful trip through the beauty of harmony. Voices responding to each other, bass lines and harmonics are magnifying the whole experience. The missing star (wich is totally based on personnal taste) comes from the experience M. Greene and the sound ingeneer made. They simultaneously taped the guitar straight through the board and through a samll Leslie rotating speaker wich gives a "phasing" effect. I find it a bit distractive.

The buy is worthed. The experience is exceptionnal. If you have studied a bit Greene's wonderful Chord Chemistry book and are a fan of guitar Chord Melody, THIS IS A MUST.

It may seems strange. I don't own this record, but this morning I can't do nothing but listen countless times the samples of "Solo Guitar" here on Amazon. I find this record sublime. Nothing less. I didn't know about Ted Greene prior to these listenings and I am a Jazz guitarist that knows every player around present and gone. This to say how secret this album and this player really are. This is a gem, you can easily hear what a wonderful kind of harmonizations Ted was able to produce. His guitar was like a grand piano. Fantastic his use of harmonics too. He reminds me a little bit of Johnny Smith. And Johnny is one of my favourite players for sure. There's even something from Lenny Breau in his music, and Lenny was another master of the Jazz solo guitar playing. Ted's music is technically brilliant and emotionally tender and at the same time absolutly mesmerizing. The beauty this man had inside is really present in his music. You can feel he was a clean, gentle soul. This music is of the highest technical level possible but it is played to please and to give the audience emotions. It's not an ego trip, something that can happen in Jazz. It's a work of art of a lifetime (Ted infact recorded only this record under his own name). I'm gonna buy immediatly this album (and even the music books Ted wrote) because the samples here are absolutly enough to let me understand how big was this man and how precious his music was ..... if you have enough hear for true music you will do the same. A gem.

Some times later ... now I own this one. As I already told you, it's a gem. Nothing less.