sounds

Please visit the joe finn YouTube channel to hear tracks from these albums, various live clips, solo guitar and more:

 INTERVIEWS

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Empire Radio Sounds Jazz Artist of the Month Joe Finn

This interview was conducted in April 2022:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGbdNjfwziU

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Joe was interviewed for the “Six count podcast” with xara wilde in 2019

https://sixcount.simplecast.com/episodes/joe-finn-post-bop-jazz-guitarist?fbclid=IwAR1qkh8YRvj10s_NRA-hh6nZZXcLg9ZnOD_PDZklsYUPxSiHkZXcHWYvBrk

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By Monica Waring

Old Chatham local and nationally recognized jazz guitarist, Joe Finn, released his sixth album in March of this year. The album, appropriately titled Generational Dynamics, is particularly special to the veteren instrumentalist with the addition of his son Tom on alto saxophone, the +1 of the Joe Finn Trio.

Both Joe and his son Tom grew up in Old Chatham surrounded by jazz music in their home. Joe was first introduced to music through his father’s jazz records collected during his days as a radio announcer and host of his own show “Spin With Finn” during the big band era in Connecticut. Joe’s father was not only a music enthusiast, but an amateur composer and piano player who saw to Joe’s musical education at the age of five with piano lessons. Joe didn’t stick with piano long however. The moment he picked up the guitar, he knew it was his instrument and hasn’t put it down since.

Forging a career in music

After receiving a BA in Music from Plattsburgh State followed by a decade on the road playing gigs across the U.S. and Canada, Joe returned to Old Chatham. He wanted to focus on local performances, recording and private guitar lessons taught from his private home studio. It was these guitar lessons that eventually peaked an interest in his young son, who wanted the same one on one attention he saw guitar students receive from his father. “I remember sitting him on my lap with the guitar when he was really little. He would try to press the strings down but he didn’t like it because it hurt his fingers. His Mom had played the alto saxophone in high school and she still had the horn in the closet. She got it out of its case, played a few notes on it, and then gave him the horn and he started playing. He really enjoyed it right from the beginning. We played together a lot, I mean seven days a week for years until he went off to school when he was 18.” Tom, now 30, plays the alto saxophone professionally and is employed as an instructor at The Bronx Charter School for the Arts in New York City and at The Litchfield Jazz Festival Music Camp in the summer, where his father once taught. Tom has grown as an artist and an equal in this recent album, according to Joe.

Father and son collaborate

“There is a musical maturation in Tom’s playing. I have included him on various gigs of mine since he was 13 or so, and we had of course played at home for years before that. Now that he is 30, he is really coming into his own as a performer and stylist. It’s gratifying to finally have a recording where we are together as collaborators. The give and take dynamic of father and son working together is something that happens only occasionally in jazz. So the CD title “Generational Dynamics” emphasizes this and when you listen it’s clear that Tom is a full partner in this endeavour.”

In addition to his son, Joe is also proud of the album as it’s the realization of a long time dream. Influenced by the music of guitarists George Benson, Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino, who had all recorded extensively with organists in a classic jazz configuration, Joe had hoped to do the same. For years he had no luck in finding a talented organist to play with regularly until he met Jon LeRoy, who finally helped fulfill the goal of producing a recording ensemble of guitar, drums and organ [+1]

Local influences

Looking back, Joe credits the Chatham High School Music Department for helping to make jazz music relevant and accessible to generations of local students through their program. Joe remembers touring with the Chatham High School Jazz Band , an experience that opened his eyes to a whole new world of performing , as it did for his son. 

“When I was in High School in the 1960s and 1970s Chatham had a jazz band . Tom’s experience a generation later was very much the same as mine. His band director’s name was Mark Giordano, who was a great mentor for Tom. He did amazing work with those kids. He took them to play at High School jazz festivals and he took them to perform at Lincoln Center, which was a real treat; especially for some of the students who had never been away from Chatham before.”

Old Chatham DNA

For Finn, his roots in Old Chatham have become part of his musical DNA and a family legacy. “Jazz for me is what I grew up listening to. It’s who I am. It’s my identity. Music is cultural expression. I played in all kinds of bands and I played every imaginable gig you could think of but I grew up in Old Chatham, New York, so in the end you just have to be who you are. Be true to yourself. That’s my own cultural experience growing up with jazz, and I guess I can thank my Dad for that because that’s what he introduced me to.”

Finn continues to perform and record locally and still teaches guitar from his home in Old Chatham. He is also the author of The Jazz Guitar Almanac, a blog style feature on his website that includes tips and advice for guitarists and other useful information for musicians of all skill levels.

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The following interview was given to Jazz Guitar Life in 2004

JGL: How old are you?

JF: I was born on January 29, 1953 in Hartford, Connecticut.

JGL: At what age did you first get into guitar playing and were you interested in jazz from the beginning or were there other musical interests before jazz? What was the motivating experience to get you involved in this particular music and instrument?

JF: I was exposed to music in infancy since my Father was an amateur pianist. He was also a radio announcer. He had a big collection of recordings that he had appropriated once the radio station was through with them. He was either playing the piano or playing records pretty much all the time. I remember hearing a lot of Nat Cole, Lionel Hampton, Stan Kenton, various big bands and lots of Frank Sinatra. He also listened to a lot of classical music. At the piano he would play a little Beethoven, various jazz standards like Green Dolphin Street and his own compositions. So I got to play the piano as a kid. They tell me I would spend hours sitting there plunking out little melodies and chords. I then got interested in guitar because my cousin had one. This was before I was ten. I don’t think he played it much and he let me borrow it. I hung on to it for an entire summer before getting one of my own.

JGL: What kind, if any, formal training do you have (ie: lessons, schooling, that sort of thing). And how did these experiences help you get where you are today?

JF: I have a bachelor’s degree in music from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. It helped me a lot to take those four years and focus heavily on music. The curriculum included ear training, composition, arranging, music history, theory, and the like. I also got my first opportunities there to work with and meet real professional players. Paul Winter, Chuck Mangione, Roy Burns, and Kirk Nurock, Billy Cobham, and John McLaughlin were some of the ones I remember. Aside from being inspiring musically, guys like this gave us the idea that a life in music was not just a dream. They were actually living that life. I had some great instructors too. Jim Miller, Jerry Lavene, Billy Hawkins and David Hoffman were people who really encouraged and inspired me.

JGL: What was your first guitar?

JF: The one I borrowed from my cousin was a Kay archtop.

JGL: Who were your influences on jazz guitar when you were beginning? And have they stayed the same or have they changed over the years? Who are you listening to today (guitarists or non-guitarists)?

JF: The first recording of a guitar I would have heard was Oscar Moore with the Nat Cole Trio. He was a very fine player that I learned to appreciate more and more later on. A lot of that music has been reissued and revisited by people like Natalie Cole and John Pizzarelli so it’s still pretty popular. I enjoy that style tremendously since I grew up with it. Later on I got interested in George Benson, Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino. I copied each of their styles closely. I would transcribe their solos and practice them until I could play them note for note. Those four will always be really special for me. Listening wise I go for a variety of different things. I love free improvisation the way Cecil Taylor and Bruce Eisenbeil do it. I listen to a lot of big band music. Maria Schneider is one of my current favorites. I always liked Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Toshiko, Carla Bley, Kenton and Buddy Rich too. I’ve listened to lots of Ellington, Basie and Wynton Marsalis also. I leave the radio tuned to the local classical station so I get to hear a little so called “serious” music every day. I even like to listen to opera. Among guitarists I like to listen to Fred Fried, Jim Hall, Paul Bollenback, Russell Malone, Mark Whitfield and Jimmy Bruno. I love what Pat Martino is up to these days. He’s the greatest.

JGL: Did you know early on that music was something you wanted to do as a career choice and if so, what were some of the things you did to make this choice work for you?

JF: Back when I was too young to have any idea what a career might actually be, I had a feeling that music would be something I would always be involved with. It was just intuition, I guess. I was always hanging around with the other players and when you are around these various musical situations you just get involved more and more. As time went on my interest in music continued to grow and various opportunities would just naturally come up. Before you know it you’ve got something people are calling a career.

JGL: When you were younger what was your band experiences like? Did you have friends who were involved in music as well or did you have to search for people to play with.

JF: I had friends in high school who liked to get together and play various easier tunes like Footprints, Maiden Voyage or Freddie Freeloader or whatever. We learned from listening to records and from each other. There didn’t seem to be as many instructors around back then so we were sort of on our own for a while. I also played electric bass in the high school jazz band. This I loved because we got to play concerts out of town. That was really fun for me. I think that was my first time away from home too.

JGL: What was your practice routine like when you were beginning and what is it like now? Are there specific areas that you work on or do you just play through tunes?

JF: As a kid I spent a lot of time playing along with records. I did this every day for years. It helped my ear and my time a lot. It’s still a good way to learn tunes. I continue to enjoy playing along with the recordings of other guitar players. Jimmy Bruno is a good one because he has so much imagination and facility.

JGL: How difficult do you find it making a living as a jazz guitar player? Or have you found it to be relatively easy?

JF: I think it’s a lot like being self employed in any other line of work. I’m basically a free lance independent contractor. I have to create my own opportunities and sort of make things happen. You’d have to do this in any business, though. It certainly has it’s ups and downs, that’s for sure. You don’t make the same amount of money every month. That can sometimes be a problem. I don’t seem to have any trouble staying busy. I just keep a lot of lines in the water, so to speak. The calendar seems to fill itself up.

JGL: How do you go about searching for gigs? And what have you found in your experience that makes looking for gigs easier?

JF: I keep the traveling to a minimum. Almost all my gigs are near enough so that I don’t have to stay overnight anywhere very often. I have lots of local contacts among musicians, the union, and various venues in the area. This helps a lot. It’s kind of a word of mouth thing where your contacts and your reputation are the things that get you booked. Having recordings and an internet presence helps a lot too.

JGL: What type of musical situation do you enjoy the most (ie: trio, quartet, duo, solo, etc.)

JF: I’ve learned to become comfortable in each of several musical configurations. There are aspects of playing in trio, quartet, duo, and solo settings that differ one from the other. I’ve played a lot more solo gigs in the last year or so for some reason and I really enjoy the freedom I have when I’m all by myself. I can do things as a soloist that are a lot of fun for me that I’d never get away with in a group. My regular quartet is a great little group too. Those guys are such strong players that it makes my job easy.

JGL: Do you like performing more as a sideman or as a leader? And if you could comment on the pros and cons of both.

JF: I’ve been working more and more as a leader. I like it a lot because I get to choose the material that best suits me and I like interacting with the audience. I always say a few words to the crowd to put them at ease and let them get to know me a little. This usually makes people more relaxed and receptive. Basically I just want them to enjoy the music.

JGL: How many CD’s have you released as a leader?

JF: There are now four releases. “Straight Ahead” from 1992, “Guitar Signatures and Duets” from 2001, “Blue Tomorrow” from 2002 and “Destiny Blue” from 2003.

JGL: What was the motivation to release your own CD’s? And what was your experience as such getting that first CD out (from the initial idea to the final product)? Do you have any plans for future projects and if so, will there be more original compositions on it or do you prefer playing standards?

JF: In some ways I record simply as a way of expressing myself musically. I’m looking to create a certain statement of where I’m at musically at a given time. I love being involved in the recording process. It takes time but the results are worth it. The last CD “Destiny Blue” was a continuation of the quartet concept that we began on “Blue Tomorrow”. I had a collection of standards and originals that we had been performing as a quartet and we just felt the need to lay them down in the studio. There’s a certain sense in which you want to document what the band is doing in the relatively controlled setting of the studio. Putting the tracks together into a coherent album of music is a very satisfying process. I haven’t decided if the next cd will be with the quartet or not yet. I feel a little like I’ve done what I can do with the quartet concept for the time being. I may record some duets with piano just to see where that takes me.

I’m in no rush to record right now. I can wait until the time is right.

JGL: Any advice for the younger guy or gal who is thinking about playing jazz guitar?

JF: I have a half dozen private students right now. I give them advice all the time. Some of them actually listen, too! I think the big thing for a lot of them is to learn as much of the repertoire as they can. A lot of them are good readers and many can improvise pretty well. One of the things that tends to hold them back is not knowing enough tunes. I usually ask a student to learn a tune every week. If they do this for two or three years they’ll have a pretty good list of material.

JGL: On your site, there is a wonderful resource called the Jazz Guitar Almanac…could you describe how that came about and do you put all the work in it yourself? It truly is a great resource. I visit it often and I really enjoy it. I always come away from it having learned something new. So kudos to you!

JF: About five years ago I began to notice that there were a lot of guitar players who had put websites up. Rick Stone and Jimmy Bruno were into this pretty early. I wanted to put up some instructional material and the usual audio clips and biographical information, but I felt like I wanted some other kind of content too. I wanted something that other sites didn’t have that would make my site a little bit different. I began to think about all the great guitar players over the last century who were becoming increasingly obscure. The idea of establishing a list of birthdays was what I came up with as a way of keeping the names of these players in circulation. I combined this with a list of tips for guitar players. It took me about a year to get the tips and the birthdays together but I’m glad I’ve done that. I always get lots of positive feedback regarding The Jazz Guitar Almanac.

JGL: I read somewhere that you appeared on BET’s Jazz Discovery Showcase in 1998 and won the award in their jazz instrumental category. How did that come about and what, if any, was the outcome of winning such an award?

JF: There was a local television show in Albany, New York at the time that had invited the quartet to play. It turned out that the audio and the video quality we got was excellent and one of the guys in the band asked why didn’t we submit a copy to Jazz Discovery Showcase? We had performed “Lucky Southern” and “The Days of Wine and Roses” on the tape which turned out to be good choices because they were very accessible and swinging. The funny thing about having won the award was that they put my private phone number on the screen after they had played the clip. This resulted in me getting all kinds of phone calls from all kinds of people I didn’t know in the middle of the night when the show aired. That was different. The phone calls were mostly good natured and amusing. All in all it was a great experience.

JGL: You play quite a few gigs as a solo guitarist and your CD “Guitar Signatures and Duets” is a solo guitar venture where you you pay tribute to jazz guitarists like George Benson, Joe Pass, Kenny Burrell, and others who have influenced your playing and/or listening habits in way or another. How did this CD come to be?. Could you explain why you have chosen this form of guitar playing and do you find it limiting at all or is there a greater sense of freedom not being bound by another instrument? How do you approach this method of playing?

JF: Well, as it turns out, there is a small group of my fellow guitarists to whom I owe a huge debt. These are the guys that taught me, through their recordings, not just how to play guitar but how to approach the art in a broader sense. What I decided to do was to record several solo guitar selections with each one being in the style of one of these players. I did this out of admiration and respect for these guys. Each of these players had a specific way of making a solo statement on the guitar that is very distinctive. To me it’s just as individualistic as a signature. That’s where the CD’s title came from. Playing unaccompanied solos in this way is very liberating but very demanding too. There is a lot of responsibility and a lot of freedom at the same time. Trying to keep all of this focused within the bounds of the “guitar signatures” theme made it a very challenging project for me. On some of the selections I did dozens of takes and was still not pleased with the results. After what seemed like weeks I finally got enough of what I was listening for to bring the project to fruition. It was really hard work, much more difficult than a combo recording.

JGL: How important is the audience to you? And how do you handle nights when the club is practically empty or when you are playing your heart out and everyone seems to be blabbing away and not listening to what you’re playing?

JF: The audience is everything. Without them I’m out of business. Everybody plays to a half empty house now and then. There will also be nights, in clubs mostly, when the crowd is inattentive or too busy socializing with one another to bother listening. It doesn’t bother me anymore though. I see every time I perform as an opportunity to make something beautiful happen. It doesn’t matter how humble or how spectacular the situation might be. It’s nice to have the audience with you of course, but if they aren’t that’s ok. Even on the worst nights there is still somebody out there listening closely.

JGL: I’ve read that you endorse guitars made by the Montreal luthier Michael Greenfield. How did all of this come about? Were you approached by these guitar makers or did you seek them out?

JF: I’m very pleased to be associated with Michael Greenfield. He makes some of the greatest guitars I’ve ever played. I’ve played all the best guitars on the market and Greenfield guitars are unsurpassed. I met Michael at a guitar show where I was performing last year. After playing his guitars and talking to him for a while we decided to get together on some promotional things. He had me up to Montreal to record some music for his demo cd and we’ll also be doing the Classic American Guitar Show on Long Island in May 2004. At this point in my life I can play any guitar I want. So I sat down with Greenfield and came up with some ideas for a custom archtop. He is building it to my specifications. I’m sure it will be spectacular; all select wood, with a carved top custom voiced by Michael. It should be ready pretty soon. This level of craftsmanship takes time. You can’t rush it.

JGL: You live in Upper New York State. Could you describe the scene their for jazz musicians and jazz guitar players in general? And have you ever thought about moving to a larger metroploitan milieu like New York or Boston or elsewhere? Is it a quality of life issue for you?

JF: There’s more than enough going on in upstate New York to keep me busy. There are a few other guitarists in the area too like Chuck D’Aloia, Jack Fragomeni, Joe Gitto and Sam Farkas. They are all solid players and nice friendly guys too. Good players will always stay busy. I play a lot in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont also. I haven’t played in New York or Boston lately but I really enjoyed my last trip to Montreal. I’d like to do some gigs there again soon.

JGL: Have you ever had second thoughts about your choice to have music as a career and if so, what other career path do you think you would have followed had you not been a guitar player.

JF: I don’t have second thoughts really. Not really. One of the things that continues to be important to me is to play well. What I mean is that I want my playing to be on a really high level. That’s not always easy even when music is a full time pursuit. It’s a constant challenge. I really don’t know what I’d be doing if I wasn’t a guitar player. I kiddingly say that I’m a guitar player because I’m not smart enough to do anything else. Actually, I’m really only half kidding.

JGL: Thank you Joe for participating in jazzguitarlife.com. It is most appreciated.

The Jazz guitar almanac

JUly 2025

July 1

Happy Birthday, Alvino Rey!  [1908]

“It was Dennis Sandole that introduced me to John Coltrane. I met ’Trane and I met Benny Golson there [at Sandole’s studio]. I met James Moody there. I met so many—Philly Joe [Jones] and Paul Chambers. The first time I met him I was just astounded at the opportunity to have met a giant. And Dennis took this little boy, I was thirteen or fourteen years old, and said, “Pat, I want you to meet John Coltrane. John, this is Pat Azzara , and he’s studying with me and he’s a great guitar player.” And ’Trane was very warm at that time. A little later on, maybe a month later, he took me out for some hot chocolate down the street. We talked and he said, “What do you want to do?” He said, “Make sure that you’re going to enjoy doing what you want to do.” He says, “It may not be the way that you want it.” But he says, “Are you having fun?” I said, “Yeah.” He talked to me like a father.”  Pat Martino 2008

July 2

“We don't spend our lives devoted to learning about harmony, learning about melody, learning to master our instruments, learning our instruments, to stop there. I tell people that what they need to do is make that next step. To go from the level of improvisers to the level of artists who have something unique, who can come up with melodies of their own. In that sense, we have to get away from the world of the guitar, the world of guitar players and into the realm of sound, of music, of developing strong melodies, of being able to say things, of being able to phrase, which is a challenge for guitar players.” Joshua Breakstone

July 3

Happy Birthday, Tommy Tedesco!  [1930]

“Nowadays you’ve got thousands of people that can influence you, but when I was growing up there was Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt. If you didn’t like either of them, then you just didn’t like guitar! And fortunately I liked them both.”  Tommy Tedesco

Tommy Tedesco authored a long running magazine column about his career experiences in recording studios. His fascinating and amusing remarks were accompanied by the actual music that he played and the fee he received for recording it.

July 4

“I've heard Jim Hall has printed on his card: "Won't play loud, can't play fast." Whether he does or not, it's a great concept and I think the acoustic rhythm guitarist's card should read: "Rhythm is my business, quarter-notes are my life." We play quarter-notes; that's our job. We don't just help play the groove (a conception or feeling), we explicitly articulate the time just as a good drummer or bass player, and we should be able to do it whether anyone else is playing or not. We've got to be able to play a steady, even quarter-note no matter how slow or fast the tempo, no matter if the piece is a 'two-beat' or in 'four', or whether it alternates between both. I think one of the most difficult things to develop is the ability to play a steady, even quarter - or half - note whatever the tempo, while giving the beat a sense of propulsion, a sense of motion, without allowing the tempo to either speed up or slow down. That ability, to me, is one of the primary marks - if not the mark - of any good rhythm (or ensemble for that matter) player. How can one develop a finetuned sense of meter and rhythm, aka good time? There are undoubtedly many ways; all I can do is pass along what worked for me.”   James Chirillo

My reaction to Chirillo's remarks are two. If you play guitar you are playing a rhythm section instrument, so you had better absolutely *love* playing rhythm. And secondly, most of what you will be playing as a guitarist will be in the role of accompaniment. You will be playing time in the background in a variety of styles. If you don't really understand, love and embrace this role, you may have chosen the wrong instrument. 

July 5

I had been on the road with Johnny [Hammond Smith] and working gigs and playing a lot of the organ clubs. We used to call it the "chitlin circuit". And he mentioned this record date to me. He said "I'm going in the studio to do a record date, but I'm going to use George Benson." He said "I'm sorry, but I gotta use some big name, you know". And then he came to me at a gig we were playing and said "George can't do the date, so you got it." So in a way, I was subbing for George, which was really far out. George was an established player and a really hot player and I wasn't. But it was fun. I still have a copy of the record. 

John Abercrombie 1996

July 6

“The truth of it is, once you record something, the minute you look back on it you realize you could have done it better. And sure, there’s so many things that I did that I feel I could have done better. I believe that’s just being truthful and honest with yourself.”  Johnny Smith

July 7

Happy Birthday,  Tiny Grimes!  [1917]

I had a longstanding regular gig where I would play solo guitar through the house PA system. It featured a powered mixer and an array of speakers. The one closest to me was a JBL wedge that sat on the floor angled up. The rest of the guitar sound went through about a dozen speakers throughout the bar, dining room area and on the street outside. It sounded pretty amazing and the whole place seemed to vibrate sometimes. On rare occasions when the establishment was relatively quiet you could really appreciate the amazing sound of that room.

July 8

One of the interesting qualities of jazz improvisation is that it can be conceptualized in a seemingly infinite number of ways. This is really a great strength of the music because it is part of what makes each player so distinctive and unique. Human nature being what it is, many players [and educators too] will tend to conclude that their approach is the "one true path" towards jazz nirvana to the exclusion of all others. Personally I am glad that everybody seems to have a somewhat different take on the subject. If we all thought alike we would all sound alike. Viva la difference!!    

July 9

Happy Birthday, Tom Lippincott!   [1966]

For all the convenience of the technology surrounding the mp3 format, the sound quality has taken a major hit. This means an entire generation of listeners is getting the wrong idea about what recorded sound can really be. The sound of the earbuds on top of the mp3 compression algorithm leaves a lot to be desired. At least most jazz radio broadcast shows are using CDs and LPs so you can still listen to good quality high fidelity sound with a decent receiver and some good speakers. Stay away from subwoofers though. They only rattle the pictures on the walls. Yeeesch!

July 10

A fellow guitarist called me to refer a student for some summertime instruction. Aside from being glad to get the referral I was very happy to be getting a college level player to work with. Unfortunately, the student never called. There is an important lesson here that all music instructors need to bear in mind. You can never assume anything about a student’s level of interest, passion, enthusiasm, willingness to work hard or really much of anything else. This is true for beginners, intermediate players and even those who are pursuing a conservatory degree in music.

July 11

The amount of effort Wes Montgomery put forth is frequently underestimated. In that era bars and clubs were scheduling live music five and six nights a week, 9pm to 3am. That was the world Wes grew up in. And as anyone who ever got one of his solos under their fingers will tell you, his music is technically demanding. He worked long and hard to get to that level. 

There are plenty of opportunities to get frustrated with various aspects of the music business. This is true at every level of the game. And it seems like the further up the ladder you go more and more potentially frustrating situations tend to emerge. I'm guessing that this is true in other areas of business as it is in life in general. The trick is to find satisfaction and to be happy while having a little fun along the way. For me this means finding contentment and fulfillment in something you love being a part of.

July 12

A few years ago I had two private guitar students each of whom was preparing a solo for the New York State School Music Association competition which is an adjudicated statewide event for high school musicians. I did the best I could to guide them through the process and to make sure they were fully prepared. In addition to the solo the students are required to read at the same level of difficulty as the solo. The first student chose a solo from the Jamey Aebersold Rhythm Section Workout book. The solo was recorded by guitarist Jack Petersen and is a medium bossa tempo with 16th note passages. It is rated as level 5 [out of 6] in terms of difficulty. The student was very dedicated and worked steadily on developing this piece over a period of several weeks. During this time we worked on the solo every week along with our sight reading. I was very pleased with his progress. He could play the solo perfectly; well in advance of the date of the actual event. Incidentally, this young man also found the time to prepare a level 6 trumpet solo for the same date. The second student was somewhat non-committal about participating in the event. He did not select a piece until three weeks before the competition. He chose a level 6 Corey Christiansen solo from the Mel Bay Jazz Guitar Solos book. It is a medium blues that has plenty of chromatic twists and turns. I was concerned about the student's progress. He hadn't given himself enough time to really get it together. At our final lesson before the event he could not get through the solo from beginning to end. NYSSMA provides each participant with a score and a detailed written evaluation of their performance. This is the real value of the program because it provides constructive criticism in a way that is as objective as possible. The first student scored 99 out of 100 overall. This was very satisfactory

and not unexpected. We are all very proud of what he accomplished.The second student scored 100. This is a perfect score. I was surprised at this since he could not play the solo the week before; but he had practiced several hours each day during the week before the event. The adjudicator's written remarks were glowing with praise. His level 6 reading passage was eighth notes and triplets in four flats above the clef. I think they gave him the benefit of the doubt on this because he is not quite at that level yet. The perfect score puts him in the "all-state" pool and makes him a candidate for various related honors.

The moral of the story is that you can never tell who will really rise to the occasion. Somebody who lets things go until the last minute may end up doing as well or better than someone who adopts a steady diligent approach. You just never know. I was really proud of both of these kids, though.

July 13

“I think it's important to start young, at nine, eight or seven. I really believe that, because for me, I was open to everything and whatever happened on the instrument became part of my music. So I think you have to push children if you see talent and if they show interest. You've got to be firm about it, not exactly like my father - he was super-firm. Mind you, he deserves all the credit for how I play today….

My father would say, 'Play a scale,' and I'd play one and he'd say, 'What about the rest? There must be one above,' so we'd figure them out. I'd start the scale on the root of the chord and I'd go as far as my hand would reach without going out of position, say, five frets, and then I'd go all the way back. So when I practised I'd start right away on scales. As well as the usual ones, I'd play whole tone scales, diminished, dominant sevenths, and chromatic scales. Every chord form, all the way up, and this took an hour.”    Joe Pass

July 14

One of Joe Pass' well known comments had to do with being able to sing what you play. In the context of single line improvisation he was addressing the important concept of "singability". This does not pertain to the vocal skill set that anyone may possess. Singable melodies and improvisations tend to incorporate qualitative aspects of phrasing and contour that enhance and define musicality and context. Guitarists in particular would do well to keep this in mind. Since he does not need to breathe as he plays in the way that a singer or horn player does, the guitarist might continue to improvise an uninterrupted string of eighth notes for 32 bars, or a hundred, or three hundred! This can prevent the lines from "breathing" and overwhelm the listener. Pianists can fall into the same trap. 

July 15

Happy Birthday, Tisziji Munoz!   [1946]

"If you know the melody, you know what the tune is about, and if you know the lyric – especially if it’s a standard, you’re obliged to know the lyric – you know at least what the song is about. And if there’s a backstory on the song, that’s even better, because it informs how you would play it and what the song means to you when you play it.... If you don’t know the melody and you don’t know the lyric, then there’s no way you can play the tune. So being able to sing it helps to solidify it in your mind." Paul Bollenback

I like Bollenback's emphasis on knowing a lyric and even some of the background and folklore regarding a song. When you are interested in details like this it does indeed have an impact on the way you would perform and interpret a given piece. Paul Bollenback is an amazing player, too, by the way. I'm a big fan.

July 16

Happy Birthday, Bola Sete!  [1923]

I'm a big fan of Steve Allen. He was a tremendously prolific composer. He is said to have written some 10,000 songs. I have a copy of The Steve Allen Songbook which has many of the better known tunes like Gravy Waltz, Impossible, This Could Be The Start Of Something Big, etc. Another collection I would recommend is “Oh What A Night For Love” by vocalist George Bugatti. This 1998 CD is a collection of 12 Allen compositions by the singer with a small combo.

I've also read a couple of his books including “Bigger Than a Breadbox” and “Dumbth”. Allen was an interesting and opinionated writer. His contemptuous and mocking remarks about rock music were something he became quite notorious for but I always have seen this in the bigger context of his comedic approach. Allen's acting credits are equally prolific. He was a regular on TV and in the movies for decades. What an amazing life to have lead!

July 17

Happy Birthday, Mary Osborne!   [1921]

Happy Birthday, George Barnes!  [1921]

“In 1969, Bucky came up to my studio to try out his new 7-string guitar. We did some experimental recordings with it and we knew, right away, that we had a good sound. He had a marvelous facility for playing that instrument. I think the credit should be given to him for the development of the accompanist style on the 7-string guitar. (Van Eps is the supreme master of solo style playing on the 7-string.) Bucky and I worked a heavy schedule together for three years. We made two albums. One, on the A&R label [Guitars Pure And Honest], was our own record, and we were part of a package of guitarists for a Town Hall concert on Columbia Records [The Guitar Album, KG 31045]. Bucky and I knew from the beginning that he wouldn't be satisfied to be my accompanist for the rest of his life. He is too good a musician for that. We split up when he went to do concerts in Europe with Benny Goodman. But we had a marvelous three years together. “  George Barnes

Guitar players who obsess over their amplification need to remember that it's the player not the gear. In the last year I've played in a range of settings; indoors and outdoors, with all kinds of different amps, monitors, sound systems, and in studios though headphone mixers, etc. I also teach private lessons with no amp at all. I always sound like me, too. Nobody else can pick up my guitar and get the same sound I do. The most important and personal aspects of a player's sound come out from under his fingers. That's why we all sound unique.

July 18

I played in a garage band when I was 14 or so and we were scheduled to play a dance at a local school. In discussing this engagement with the school’s Principal, he informed us that it was a “union shop” and that performing there required union membership. After assuring him that we were in the union, I took the guys straight over to the home of the president of the local AFM chapter and got everyone signed up. I have been a member of the AFM ever since and have found it to be a very beneficial resource throughout my career.

July 19

Happy Birthday, Phil Upchurch!  [1941]

I tell my students that they should compartmentalize their practice regimen. I think they ought to spend time reading, developing repertoire and improvising every day. Technical exercise is important too. Scales, patterns and bebop heads are very helpful in this regard. For me personally, I have lots of music that I am responsible for so that means I "pick up the guitar and play" the music that I will be performing this week. It takes time, too. This falls into the reading/repertoire category. When I have a little extra energy to spare I'll treat myself to a nice long Band in a Box session just to blow it out. 

July 20

Teenagers who are swept up in today's typical pop culture milieu are not likely to know anything about jazz. They typically know little of classical music or theatre, painting, sculpture, literature, etc. either. This should come as no surprise. They are young and have much to learn. The good news is that schools today have better music programs than ever before. Jazz is well represented. Beginning in middle school students have the opportunity to play in a stage band and get lessons. There are great numbers who go forward to study on the conservatory level. In my view today's young players are better than ever. As an instructor of long standing I can tell you that this is clearly true; especially on the technical levels.

The role of the older generation is to bring the younger ones along. Educational opportunities abound and development is a lifelong journey. Whatever we can do to help them in general terms of human development will be time well spent.

July 21

Happy Birthday, Pierre Cullaz!  [1935]

My Polytone MBII decided to quit working right before the downbeat on a recent quartet date due to a power switch failure. The backup that was available was a Line 6 modeling amp; 75 watt variety. At first I tried to simply use the clean setting with no reverb but the sound quality was muddy with no headroom and lots of feedback. Then I scrolled through the dozens of presets and found one named George Benson [you can't make this stuff up] so I tried it. It was still muddy with too much reverb and no real presence. The really weird stuff came later in the evening. The Line 6 switched from the Benson preset to another preset three times during the performance all by itself. I have no explanation for this. The other problem is that the Line 6 apparently has some sort of overload protection and shuts itself off now and then. This thoroughly delightful experience with a Line 6 amplifier was not something I chose or would ever do again. One of the other musicians said the Line 6 was better than nothing; but I say it's a close call.

July 22

Happy Birthday, Jimmy Bruno!   [1953]

 “I’ve been playing professionally since I was 16 years old. That’s 50 years. I must have traveled around the world five times playing the guitar. And I was lucky enough, at a really young age, 21, to move to Las Vegas. And it was maybe 500 guitar players there with five jobs, steady jobs. And one time, I had three of them. And then I got the job at the Hilton for Jimmy Mulidore. He was a fantastic jazz musician who’s still playing really good. And it’s funny. These guys are a funny thing. If you wanted to get noticed in Las Vegas, you had to play– you had to be a good jazz player. And I mean, of course, to work, you didn’t have to play jazz… hardly ever did. His commercial stuff with different acts and stuff. But the one thing was, though, you can’t make mistakes. You’re out on your ass, see you later!” Jimmy Bruno

July 23

Happy Birthday, Jack Fragomeni!    [1951]

“I was practicing eight hours a day and playing six nights a week. I wore out two copies of Joe Pass’s “Virtuoso” album, transcribing and learning every note. Then I realized, I’m playing Joe Pass’s stuff and he’ll do it better than I can every time. The only way you can do it is to develop your own voice, and that’s what I’ve tried to do.”   Jack Fragomeni

July 24

Anyone who may be interested in the life and music of Pat Martino would probably enjoy seeing the DVD called "Unstrung". This documents Pat's courage in overcoming some very serious health issues that ultimately required brain surgery. His recovery is inspiring indeed and the video includes lots of music and interviews.

July 25

Dave Stryker has been a clinician at the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Camp for many years. He attended the camp as a student in his youth. Dave also teaches every summer at the Litchfield Jazz Camp in Connecticutt. In addition to being a fine guitarist and instructor, Stryker is also a long time band leader and composer. His many albums feature his original material. He is also the author of an excellent improvisation method book.

July 26

I practice guitar for two to three hours a day. In addition to this there are gigs and lessons so that's about another 20 hours per week.

Why do I do this?

It's what I have done since before I was ten years old so it's my daily routine.  I think people reach a certain age when they begin to question things like this. I'm not there yet but I have heard older players mention it. As long as I continue to find it to be a source of satisfaction and happiness I suppose I will continue.  A lot of what I work on is new material for upcoming performances. Yet I think if I found myself marooned on a desert island I would still practice the same amount. Music is the art of the practitioner so it takes a certain type of person to find joy in routines such as this.

July 27

The piano requirement is pretty typical for conservatory students in general. It's always a good idea to be able to do your theory, ear training, composition and arranging work at the keyboard. You may also want to learn chords and scales on piano and even develop some repertoire. 

July 28

Happy Birthday, Mike Musillami [1953]

“It’s your voice, and for guitarists trying to find that voice … adding pedals and effects is not the answer in my opinion. I know it is easier to get over using effects and it does make it easier to connect notes, but to me it’s just fake and thin. The idea that running your instrument through a variety of effects all the time somehow gives you claim to “your personal sound” just doesn’t hold water. When I record, I play it straight, no effects, not even reverb. In the mixing process I’ll add a bit of reverb.”  Mike Musillami

Excellence in non conservatory styles is a cultural issue. If someone can immerse themselves in the folklore of rock, blues, or country music, etc. at a young enough age they can absorb the essence of the style and perhaps eventually perform it with something approaching credibility. As an instructor I do not pretend to be able to do that. I do not alter the material I teach or the way I present it to suit the student.  I can only continue to help the student learn the instrument, harmony, improvisation, treble clef, ensemble skills, etc. as long as they are interested enough to show up for  lessons.

July 29

Happy Birthday, Charlie Christian!  [1916]

Happy Birthday, Joe Beck! [1945]

“Miles just called me early one Sunday morning. The phone rang and I just heard this voice ‘get over here!’ And he hung up – that’s all he said. He didn’t say who he was or where ‘over here’ was. I couldn’t believe it – I knew this voice but I still thought it was a joke. A few minutes the phone rang again and it was Gil and he said ‘I think Miles is going to call you.’ And I said ‘I think he just did. But the problem is: where is over here?’ So he told me the address – it was right around the corner from my house. So I walked over with my guitar and Miles was there and it was the band with Tony and Ron and Herbie and Wayne. Now I had stepped into the cobra’s nest at this point.”   Joe Beck

July 30

Happy Birthday, John Stowell!  [1950]

This for all the amateur guitar neck adjusters out there. The truss rod on Gibsons and most guitars is made of steel and the adjusting nut is generally made of brass; a much softer metal. This is so if in the process of adjusting the rod you manage to destroy anything it will be the nut [cheap] and not the rod [expensive]. The issue that frequently presents itself is that the adjusting tool will not fit over the nut due to inadequate clearance under the truss rod cover. The nut is 5/16” and was installed at the factory with a very slim diameter socket. The clearance issue is by design due to the need to have as much wood as possible in this area of the headstock to tolerate the string tension load. Using a bench grinder, or similar tool, remove the material from the outside surface of a standard 5/16th socket until the overall diameter is a little smaller. Have a cup of water handy to cool the socket occasionally as you grind it. When the socket is slimmed down sufficiently, it will fit in the adjusting nut opening and you can turn the nut to change the neck relief as necessary. Do not under any circumstances chisel away or otherwise remove any wood from the area around the adjusting nut. This will compromise the structural integrity of the head and the  neck. Sockets are cheap, guitars are expensive. Have fun playing your properly adjusted guitar!!

July 31

Happy Birthday, Stanley Jordan! [1959]

Happy Birthday, Barry Greene!   [1961]

Happy Birthday, Kenny Burrell  [1931]

“My inspiration comes from the message Duke Ellington gave - you are unique, be yourself, put out that thing that is you, then use your work ethic and produce great music.”  Kenny Burrell

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The Jazz Guitar Almanac is published in monthly installments on the first of each month.

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Press

Here is a review of the Joe Finn Quintet from 2021:

https://www.nippertown.com/2021/09/03/joe-finn-quintet-jazz-on-jay-9-2-21/

“Finn has a special way of taking on this music. Like modern guitar pioneer Wes Montgomery, Finn brings out the up-to-date elements of music without ever losing contact with the listener. The music stays lyrical and melodic, intelligent and pensive, never becoming discordant or unpleasing to the ear. If we awarded stars, this album would get five.” 

Dave Nathan  AllAboutJazz.com

 “Finn's technical prowess on the guitar is impressive while managing to be understated and not obviously imitative of any in the jazz pantheon.”   

David Hewitt JazzReview.com

“Finn's playing reveals a smooth tone and immaculate technique, reminiscent of such players as Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis.”

Dave Nathan AllMusic.com

“Taste, musicality, chops, maturity, and swing. These are words to live by when one steps into the ring as a jazz musician, and it's obvious from the first listen that Joe Finn and his quartet live by these words...and more.”

Lyle Robinson   JazzGuitarLife.com

“Finn proves to be a formidable player who rarely stumbles. His mostly single note licks fly by with ease, with an occasional octave twist a la Wes Montgomery.” 

Jay Collins  Cadence Magazine

“There's a fluidity to Finn's playing that always makes me smile whenever I hear him. The notes just flow out like water over a gorge.” 

J. Hunter AlbanyJazz.com

“Finn plays a straightforward, uncomplicated, but highly melodic and deftly harmonic instrument. He adopts that clean sound that seems to be the preference of his peers. This style also lets the listener get a grasp around each note Finn plays rather than trying to sort them out among a cacophony of over-ripe chordal structures.” 

Dave Nathan    AllMusic.com

“A top jazz guitarist based in upstate New York, Joe Finn has a mellow tone (a little reminiscent of Jimmy Raney), creates harmonically adventurous improvisations, and swings at every tempo.

            The COVID pandemic made it very hard for jazz musicians, but for As Luck Would Have It, the guitarist’s seventh release as a leader. Joe Finn took advantage of the fact that the top players living in his geographical area were available. His sidemen, vibraphonist Mike Benedict, pianist-keyboardist Wayne Hawkins, bassist Mike Lawrence, and drummer Pete Sweeney, have not only had extensive experience playing with major musicians but have also led bands of their own. On ten of the guitarist’s originals, they form an attractive group sound and their performances are full of subtle and inventive interplay.

            The opener, “The Good Word,” is a relaxed minor-toned medium-tempo piece that introduces the quintet and (as is true on all of the other selections) features inventive and concise guitar, vibes, and piano solos. “As Though I Had Wings” is an attractive jazz waltz which hints at “Inchworm” in spots. The uptempo “As Luck Would Have It” (with Lawrence particularly prominent in the ensembles and Sweeney taking a fine solo) is followed by “Elan,” a slow ballad that one could imagine pianist John Lewis and the Modern Jazz Quartet playing.

            “Come What May” a happy piece utilizing the chord changes of Charlie Parker’s “Confirmation,” is followed by the harmonically complex but still cooking “Purity Of Essence,” the atmospheric and moody “Dedalus,” and the swinging “Asymetrical Reflections.” The CD concludes with one of the strongest original melodies of the program (“Born Yesterday”) and the joyful “Blue Ullon.”

            Each of the ten performances on As Luck Would Have It (www.joefinn.net) is enjoyable with Joe Finn displaying an original style that, while connected to the jazz tradition, does not sound like any of his predecessors. The musicians all were clearly inspired by each other’s presence and quite happy to be playing together. The result is a high-quality set of music that is easily recommended to anyone who enjoys modern straight ahead jazz.”

Scott Yanow The Los Angeles Jazz Scene