For those wanting to learn Jazz Guitar:
I've always thought of Jazz guitar as the top of the guitar food chain. It has some of the most knowledgeable guitarists as well as amazing technique only done with a very clean amp (unlike impressive rock guitarists who I also like very much). Now Jazz is not beyond the skills of most of us, in fact, for most High School guitarists, its the only option for band. That being said, you should have worked thru Hal Leonard's Complete Guitar Method or something similar, be able to play bar chords & a few scale patterns.
Next I would recommend that you go thru at least the first volume in Blues You Can Use as it will greatly increase your ability to play lead & rhythm necessary for Jazz.
The Hal Leonard Jazz Guitar Method is excellent in that it covers alot of ground simply and in one volume. The chords in it are very helpful to start building the kind of chord vocabulary you will need in jaz. Buy a copy if you don't already have one.
Featuring in-depth guitar lessons and 40 great jazz classics, the Hal Leonard Jazz Guitar Method is your complete guide to learning jazz guitar. This book uses real jazz songs to teach you the basics of accompanying and improvising jazz guitar in the style of Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Tal Farlow, Charlie Christian, Jim Hall and many others. Jazz guitar lessons cover chords and progressions, scales and licks, comping and soloing styles, chord-melody, intros and endings, technique, equipment and sound, and more! Songs include Satin Doll, Take the "A" Train, Billie's Bounce, Impressions, Bluesette, My One and Only Love, Desafinado, Autumn Leaves, Watch What Happens, Misty, Song for My Father, and more. The CD contains 99 tracks for demonstration and play-along. Guitar tab. 64 pages.
Ok, this link doesn't look impressive, but trust me....go ahead & check out the lessons on here. My recommendation is to download Jazz 101. All of the lessons are great though:
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Music 44 is great for any books you might be looking for on Jazz Guitar:
Now for you young guitar players, think about joining your jazz band even if that's not your favorite style of music. I encourage all my students to join jazz band whenever possible as it gives you the opportunity to play with others and to take your playing to the next level. As a guitar teacher, I tell all of my students that I'm happy to work thru whatever assignment they currently have...so join Jazz Band!
