TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
The guitar wasn’t always front and center in jazz, but when it found its voice, it never looked back.
In the early days, guitarists like Freddie Green kept time in the rhythm section—no solos, just steady swing. But then came Charlie Christian, who plugged in, turned up, and changed everything. His electric guitar work with Benny Goodman helped bring the instrument into the spotlight.
The bebop era gave us Tal Farlow and Barney Kessel, blazing through complex changes. Then came Wes Montgomery, whose thumb-picked lines and octaves made the guitar sing.
In modern jazz, guitarists like Pat Metheny, John Scofield, and Julian Lage stretch the sound even further—blending jazz with rock, folk, fusion, and funk.
From comping chords to leading the melody, jazz guitar has evolved into a distinct voice all its own.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and SC Public Radio, made possible by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.