Artist: Various Artists
Title Of Album: Progressions: 100 Years Of Jazz Guitar
Year Of Release: 2005
Label (Catalog#): Columbia [C4K 86462]
Country: International
Genre: Jazz, Bop, Fusion, Modal, Post Bop, Dixieland, Ragtime, Swing
Quality: FLAC (*tracks)
Bitrate: Lossless
Time: 5:09:31
Full Size: 1.54 GB

This expansive four-disc anthology essentially covers the recorded history of the guitar in the 20th century, beginning with the ragtime banjo that set the table for the role of the guitar in a jazz setting in the early 1900s, and then touching all the bases clear through to the post-postmodern possibilities of the instrument in the 21st century. Don't let the subtitle throw you, though, because Progressions: 100 Years of Jazz Guitar interprets jazz guitar in the broadest of strokes, as it includes not only pantheon jazz players like Eddie Lang, Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Les Paul, Wes Montgomery, and John McLaughlin but also provides an uncommon sweep by featuring Hawaiian stylists Roy Smeck and Sol Hoopii; Western swing aces Leon McAuliffe and Eldon Shamblin; country jazzman Hank Garland; rock virtuosos Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, and Jeff Beck; fusion funksters Larry Carlton, Al DiMeola, and Mike Stein; and hard to classify avant-garde players like Derek Bailey, Sonny Sharrock, James Blood Ulmer, and Marc Ribot. In all, 78 guitarists from some 33 labels are represented. Arranged roughly by date of recording from first to last (there are some deviations to trace the development of a particular style), it is easy to follow the track listing for Progressions in the well-organized 148-page book that accompanies the discs, and what emerges is a portrayal of the massive influence the guitar has had on every form of popular music in the past century. One could quibble about players who were left out, and things are slightly tilted toward electric players as the set progresses, although that is probably understandable, since getting the guitar plugged in is what made it work in large ensembles in the first place. It's hard to argue with a piano, but a case could be made (and this set assembles ample evidence) that the electric guitar was the defining popular musical instrument of the 20th century, and certainly the dominant ensemble instrument for the last half of it. Progressions: 100 Years of Jazz Guitar suggests that the possibilities for the guitar are far from exhausted as the musical time line begins to edge deeper into the 21st century. A beautiful set.

TrackList:

CD 1
1. Vess L. Ossman - St. Louis Tickle [ 3:08]
2. Sam Moore - Chain Gang Blues [ 2:51]
3. Johnny St. Cyr & Lonnie Johnson - Savoy Blues [ 3:28]
4. Sol Hopii's Novelty Trio - The Only, Only One (For Me) [ 3:12]
5. Eddie Lang - Add A Little Wiggle [ 2:57]
6. Eddie Bush & Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Trio - Clowin' The Frets [ 2:39]
7. King Benny Nawahi & The Georgia Jumpers - California Blues [ 3:03]
8. Roy Smeck & Martha Raye - How'm I Doin'-Dinah [ 3:02]
9. Eddie Condon & Billy Banks - Who's Sorry Now [ 3:08]
10.Carl Kress & Dick Mcdonough - Danzon [ 3:09]
11.Otto ''coco'' Heimel & Candy And Coco - China Boy [ 2:48]
12.Sam Koki & His Islanders & Andy Iona - Minnehaha [ 3:02]
13.The Ink Spots - Swingin' On The Strings [ 2:37]
14.Django Reinhardt & Quintette Du Hot Club De France - Honeysuckle Rose [ 2:55]
15.Casey Bill Weldon - Guitar Swing [ 2:59]
16.Eddie Durham, Freddie Green & Kansas City Five - Love Me Or Leave Me [ 2:50]
17.Oscar Aleman - Whispering [ 2:48]
18.Allan Reuss & Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra - Pickin' For Patsy [ 2:44]
19.George Barnes - Little Rock Getaway [ 2:32]
20.Charlie Christian & Benny Goodman And His Orchestra - Solo Flight [ 2:49]
21.Al Casey & Fats Waller And His Rhythm - Buck Jumpin' [ 2:37]
22.Leon Mcauliffe, Eldon Shamblin & Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys - Twin Guitar Special [ 2:41]
23.Teddy Bunn & The Spirits Of Rhythm - I'm Walkin' This Town [ 2:53]
24.Slim Gaillard And His Flat-Foot-Floogee-Boys - Palm Springs Jump [ 2:41]
25.Oscar Moore & The King Cole Trio - Gee, Baby, I Ain't Good To You [ 2:56]
26.Tiny Grimes Quintet - Red Cross [ 3:09]

CD 2
1. Bill Dearango & Dizzy Gillespie - Ol' Man Rebop [ 2:44]
2. Barney Kessel & The Poll Winners - On Green Dolphin Street [ 4:03]
3. George Van Eps - What Is This Thing Called Love [ 2:19]
4. Jimmy Raney - Body And Soul [ 3:39]
5. Chuck Wayne & Tony Bennett - My Baby Just Cares For Me [ 2:20]
6. Les Paul - Runnin' Wild [ 1:54]
7. Chet Atkins - Mountain Melody [ 2:10]
8. Tal Farlow - Yardbird Suite [ 5:16]
9. Johnny Smith - The Boy Next Door [ 2:37]
10.Laurindo Almeida - Tocata [ 4:47]
11.Jim Hall & Bill Evans - I've Got You Under My Skin [ 3:23]
12.Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - Aguas De Marco (Waters Of March) [ 4:41]
13.Toots Thielemans - Bluesette [ 2:50]
14.Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue [ 4:03]
15.The Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery - Unit 7 [ 6:46]
16.Herb Ellis & Oscar Peterson - Naptown Blues [ 5:19]
17.Hank Garland - Move [ 4:27]
18.Howard Roberts - Easy Living [ 4:08]
19.Grant Green - Jean De Fleur [ 6:50]
20.Joe Pass - Night And Day [ 3:44]

CD 3
1. George Benson - Clockwise [ 4:26]
2. Pat Martino - Pat Martino [ 5:51]
3. Lenny Breau - A Taste Of Honey [ 4:24]
4. Charlie Byrd - How Insensitive [ 2:44]
5. Gabor Szabo - Gypsy Queen [ 5:11]
6. Gary Burton & Larry Coryell - June 15, 1967 [ 4:54]
7. Sonny Sharrock - As We Used To Sing [ 6:25]
8. Derek Bailey - Should Be Reversed [ 3:51]
9. Jimi Hendrix - Manic Depression [ 3:43]
10.John Mclaughlin And The Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds Of Fire [ 5:44]
11.Mick Goodrick & Gary Burton - Coral [ 4:09]
12.John Abercrombie - Ralph's Piano Waltz [ 4:55]
13.Ralph Towner - The Prowler [ 4:59]
14.Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life [ 4:44]
15.Toninho Horta - Aqui, Oh! (Check This Out) [ 4:57]
16.Earl Klugh - Midnight In San Juan [ 5:52]

CD 4
1. Carlos Santana - Europa [ 5:05]
2. Phil Upchurch - Inner City Blues [ 6:43]
3. Eric Gale - Thumper [ 4:12]
4. Larry Carlton - Spiral [ 6:13]
5. Lee Ritenour - Captain Fingers [ 7:08]
6. Allan Holdsworth - Mr. Spock [ 6:14]
7. Al Di Meola - Race With The Devil On Spanish Highway [ 6:16]
8. Jeff Beck - Cause We've Ended As Lovers [ 5:43]
9. James Blood Ulmer - Church [ 4:55]
10.Bill Frisell - Ron Carter [ 6:48]
11.John Scofield - Hottentot [ 6:45]
12.Marc Ribot - Postizo [ 4:58]
13.Mike Stern - Fat Time [ 7:26]

DOWNLOAD LINKS: Progressions: 100 Years Of Jazz Guitar (4CD Box Set) FLAC