Jazz Players that use Telecasters

MartinLesCaster · February 4th, 2006, 09:19 AM

There's got to be more, but right now only Mike Stern comes to mind, so who are some other famous Jazz guitarists who primarily use a Tele?

Kurt · February 4th, 2006, 09:27 AM

The only guitarists I've found are Ted Greene (I've seen pictures of him with what looks like a heavily modded and Bill Frisell (who was recently in GP mag and I believe said he was using a thinline RI right now). I made the switch to jazz a little over a year ago and have stuck with my Tele. I'd be interested in your setup if you're using a Tele for jazz.

MartinLesCaster · February 4th, 2006, 09:47 AM

I'm not strictly any one form of music but I gues i lean more towards Jazz (I try anyway), I normally just plug straight into a Carvin vintage 16. It's' a 16 w with 12 inch 100w speaker , three 12x7's and 2 el 84's so it's very clean. I rarley use any pedals but occasionaly a bit of compression or overdrive with a Visual Sounds Route 66 and occasionally a EH mini Qtron, but rarely.

That's interesting about Ted Greene I've got the Chord Chemistry book, so I'll have to check out some of his work.
I've been considering picking up some Frisell, any recomendations (preferably where he uses the Tele)

jwsamuel · February 4th, 2006, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartinLesCaster

I've been considering picking up some Frisell, any recomendations (preferably where he uses the Tele)

His East/West live CD is a good start.

Jim

Kurt · February 4th, 2006, 09:59 AM

Switching to jazz after playing pop/rock/blues for 35+ years has been very hard but very rewarding. Focusing on harmonic content and jazz theory rather than just patterns and licks has been worth it for me. I run my 98 AS with Bardens thru a Carvin Belair. IMHO Carvin makes great amps for the price and I like the EL84 sound. Ted Greene's Solo Guitar CD was just reissed. Not sure how much he actually uses his Tele on it but it's a great CD. I really like Bill Frisell's latest CD East/West but again, I can't vouch for how much Tele he uses on it. Sorry I don't have more specifics.

Kojack · February 4th, 2006, 10:00 AM

Ed Bickert. A highly regarded jazz cat with a distinctive Telecaster sound.

Pvee · February 4th, 2006, 10:23 AM

Scotty Anderson plays a lot of Jazz stuff when he plays live but does not claim to be a jazz player.

Although he did WOW a bunch of hardcore jazz players at the NY guitar show a few years ago.

About the closest thing to jazz on his cd's is the theme from the Perry Mason show.

Here is one for you..
http://home.fuse.net/pvee/woodside.mp3

ChurchPlayer · February 4th, 2006, 10:58 AM

I came across a guy named Steven Kirby a few years ago that played some great jazz with a modified old Tele (3rd pickup added). Saw him in GP, emailed him about some stuff in the lesson column he'd written, got an immediate reply. Picked up and am still enjoying his first CD, which is very Pat Metheny inspired, IMO. I should check out his latest offering...

http://www.stevenkirby.com

Brad Miller · February 4th, 2006, 03:20 PM

If I am not mistaken, I believe Wayne Krantz plays a Tele.

editorjuno · February 4th, 2006, 04:14 PM

...Jim Campilongo, who brings that big Tele sound of his to lots of jazzy stuff! Many of our noted Tele heros, both past and present, evidence excellent jazz skills -- take a listen to everyone from departed legends like Jimmy Bryant and Danny Gatton to such current top-drawer pros as Brent Mason, all of them very much at home playing jazz.

The reverse is true too -- e.g. Bill Frisell working with alt.country/"Americana" artists (Buddy Miller, Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez, etc.) and Jim Campilongo gigging and recording with eclectic singer/pianist Norah Jones. I think it was Louis Armstrong who said that there are only two kinds of music: good and bad. No matter what style you play, acquiring jazz (or classical, or flamenco, or klezmer, or Indian raga, or bluegrass) knowledge and chops certainly can't hurt -- it's all grist for the musical mill!

Bill · February 4th, 2006, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChurchPlayer

One look at that fretboard wear and you can tell he's a jazz player. I love it!

pc · February 4th, 2006, 09:38 PM

Never heard of that guy before this thread, but wow. I downloaded his MP3s on his site, and they're all good. The "Miss Jones/Abstract" is freakin' unbelievable. He has amazing chops.

I don't think he's playing the Tele on that one though. :)

TelecasterSam · February 5th, 2006, 11:34 PM

Leon Rhodes plays a '70 Tele on the Grand Ole Opry with The Whites. He plays a LOT of jazz within any country song they do. His solos are hot, fast and tasty.
Love him to death.

zydeco honeycup · February 6th, 2006, 12:20 AM

Marc Ribot and Rick Peckham both do pretty unconventional (and exciting) jazz stuff on a Tele. I discovered Peckham through a recommendation here at the TDPRI - one of my favorite records of last year.

captain gorgeous · February 6th, 2006, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by editorjuno

...Jim Campilongo, who brings that big Tele sound of his to lots of jazzy stuff!... Jim Campilongo gigging and recording with eclectic singer/pianist Norah Jones.

huh - i didn't know that. i saw norah jones in london a few years back. was jim playing with her at that time? who ever it was had a beautiful tele tone. looked (from the cheap seats up in the roof) to be a white 60s tele though a small gibson combo. beautiful minimal playing and stunning tone.

captain gorgeous · February 6th, 2006, 10:18 AM

joe messina ripped some pretty impressive jazz on a tele before he became a motown house guitarist.

Dana · February 6th, 2006, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChurchPlayer

I came across a guy named Steven Kirby a few years ago that played some great jazz with a modified old Tele (3rd pickup added). Saw him in GP, emailed him about some stuff in the lesson column he'd written, got an immediate reply. Picked up and am still enjoying his first CD, which is very Pat Metheny inspired, IMO. I should check out his latest offering...

http://www.stevenkirby.com

Steve Kirby is a friend of mine. I now own that guitar. I bought it from him a couple of years ago. I removed the decals, and eventually put the neck on another body.

Here are more pictures of it.

[/img]

Dana · February 6th, 2006, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Miller

If I am not mistaken, I believe Wayne Krantz plays a Tele.

I think Wayne plays Strats mostly. He's got one from the 70's, and a Suhr model.

Telemarkman · February 6th, 2006, 11:26 AM

Listen to Roy Buchanan's rendition of "Misty" on the TV-
documentary "The Best Unknown Guitarist In The World"
from 1971 - just heartbreakingly beautiful !

Even if Roy couldn't actually be characterized as a jazz
player, he could play anything he wanted to, and his blues background in fact enhanced his jazz playing !

Unburst · February 6th, 2006, 12:58 PM

Ed Bickert

Bill Frisell

Mike Stern

Ted Greene

mitscan · February 6th, 2006, 03:52 PM

Jim Campilongo has played with Norah Jones. They are in a country cover band called Little Willies together, along with Lee Alexander on bass, Richard Julian on guitar and vocals, and Dan Rieser on drums. They often plat at The Living Room in NYC, and they have a disc coming out on March 7, covering tunes by Fred Rose, Hank Williams, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Kris Kristofferson, Townes Van Zandt, Willie Nelson, Harland Howard and Jimmy Driftwood, as well as a few original songs. Campilongo often plays a ’59 Tele through a ’66 Princeton Reverb, but you also might catch him playing through a ‘70 Vibrolux Reverb (which he claims has a SS rectifier in place of the original tube) and a 60's Deluxe Reverb. Jim is a very cool player, whether you call him country or blues or jazz or whatever. He can play anything, and really well. And he’s a huge Roy Buchanan fan, too, of course.

The other guy Norah Jones plays with is the equally incredible Adam Levy, who always used to play a ’79 ES 335 (through a BFDR on Tracy Chapman’s Give Me One Reason) but now sometimes plays a ‘70s Tele. Like Campilongo (and Bill Frisell), Levy is a Princeton/Princeton Reverb player, although I think he may have started using Belov amps, too. Now that this thread has reminded me of those two guys, along with Frisell, I might have to change the quote I have as my signature line, because those three guys -- who aren't Nashville players by any stretch -- are a good as it gets, if you ask me.

Eric Karonen · February 6th, 2006, 04:51 PM

Kevin Breit (tele again) has played with Norah Jones as well, and with Cassandra Wilson.

hekawi · February 6th, 2006, 04:56 PM

yes that bernie williams. the ny yankees player also has some recordings and plays concert with his jazz group. photos on his website show him with a tele and an ovation, and i believe he also has a tele-coustic and a strata-coustic.

February 4th, 2006, 09:19 AM	#1 (permalink)
MartinLesCaster TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Earth Posts: 19	Jazz Players that use Telecasters There's got to be more, but right now only Mike Stern comes to mind, so who are some other famous Jazz guitarists who primarily use a Tele?

February 4th, 2006, 10:00 AM	#6 (permalink)
Kojack Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 49 Posts: 110	You might check out... Ed Bickert. A highly regarded jazz cat with a distinctive Telecaster sound.

February 4th, 2006, 10:58 AM	#8 (permalink)
ChurchPlayer Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 375	I came across a guy named Steven Kirby a few years ago that played some great jazz with a modified old Tele (3rd pickup added). Saw him in GP, emailed him about some stuff in the lesson column he'd written, got an immediate reply. Picked up and am still enjoying his first CD, which is very Pat Metheny inspired, IMO. I should check out his latest offering... http://www.stevenkirby.com __________________ Jake "I tell my kids, 'Daddy's the best guitar player on the block. Always will be. Even if we have to move.'"

February 4th, 2006, 03:20 PM	#9 (permalink)
Brad Miller Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kokomo, Mississippi Age: 35 Posts: 637 8 Photos	If I am not mistaken, I believe Wayne Krantz plays a Tele. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/cbm1973

February 4th, 2006, 04:14 PM	#10 (permalink)
editorjuno Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bucks County, Pennsylvania Posts: 973 3 Photos	Let's not forget TDPRIer... ...Jim Campilongo, who brings that big Tele sound of his to lots of jazzy stuff! Many of our noted Tele heros, both past and present, evidence excellent jazz skills -- take a listen to everyone from departed legends like Jimmy Bryant and Danny Gatton to such current top-drawer pros as Brent Mason, all of them very much at home playing jazz. The reverse is true too -- e.g. Bill Frisell working with alt.country/"Americana" artists (Buddy Miller, Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez, etc.) and Jim Campilongo gigging and recording with eclectic singer/pianist Norah Jones. I think it was Louis Armstrong who said that there are only two kinds of music: good and bad. No matter what style you play, acquiring jazz (or classical, or flamenco, or klezmer, or Indian raga, or bluegrass) knowledge and chops certainly can't hurt -- it's all grist for the musical mill!

February 4th, 2006, 09:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
Kurt Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: MA Posts: 363	The only guitarists I've found are Ted Greene (I've seen pictures of him with what looks like a heavily modded and Bill Frisell (who was recently in GP mag and I believe said he was using a thinline RI right now). I made the switch to jazz a little over a year ago and have stuck with my Tele. I'd be interested in your setup if you're using a Tele for jazz.

February 4th, 2006, 09:47 AM	#3 (permalink)
MartinLesCaster TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Earth Posts: 19	I'm not strictly any one form of music but I gues i lean more towards Jazz (I try anyway), I normally just plug straight into a Carvin vintage 16. It's' a 16 w with 12 inch 100w speaker , three 12x7's and 2 el 84's so it's very clean. I rarley use any pedals but occasionaly a bit of compression or overdrive with a Visual Sounds Route 66 and occasionally a EH mini Qtron, but rarely. That's interesting about Ted Greene I've got the Chord Chemistry book, so I'll have to check out some of his work. I've been considering picking up some Frisell, any recomendations (preferably where he uses the Tele)

February 4th, 2006, 09:59 AM	#5 (permalink)
Kurt Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: MA Posts: 363	Switching to jazz after playing pop/rock/blues for 35+ years has been very hard but very rewarding. Focusing on harmonic content and jazz theory rather than just patterns and licks has been worth it for me. I run my 98 AS with Bardens thru a Carvin Belair. IMHO Carvin makes great amps for the price and I like the EL84 sound. Ted Greene's Solo Guitar CD was just reissed. Not sure how much he actually uses his Tele on it but it's a great CD. I really like Bill Frisell's latest CD East/West but again, I can't vouch for how much Tele he uses on it. Sorry I don't have more specifics.

February 4th, 2006, 10:23 AM	#7 (permalink)
Pvee Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 266	Scotty Anderson plays a lot of Jazz stuff when he plays live but does not claim to be a jazz player. Although he did WOW a bunch of hardcore jazz players at the NY guitar show a few years ago. About the closest thing to jazz on his cd's is the theme from the Perry Mason show. Here is one for you.. http://home.fuse.net/pvee/woodside.mp3

February 4th, 2006, 09:38 PM	#12 (permalink)
pc Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Columbus, OH Age: 41 Posts: 515 3 Photos	Never heard of that guy before this thread, but wow. I downloaded his MP3s on his site, and they're all good. The "Miss Jones/Abstract" is freakin' unbelievable. He has amazing chops. I don't think he's playing the Tele on that one though. :) __________________ Me

February 5th, 2006, 11:34 PM	#13 (permalink)
TelecasterSam Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 190	Jazz tele players Leon Rhodes plays a '70 Tele on the Grand Ole Opry with The Whites. He plays a LOT of jazz within any country song they do. His solos are hot, fast and tasty. Love him to death.

February 6th, 2006, 12:20 AM	#14 (permalink)
zydeco honeycup TDPRI Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York, NY Posts: 95	Re: Jazz Players that use Telecasters Marc Ribot and Rick Peckham both do pretty unconventional (and exciting) jazz stuff on a Tele. I discovered Peckham through a recommendation here at the TDPRI - one of my favorite records of last year.

February 6th, 2006, 10:18 AM	#16 (permalink)
captain gorgeous Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Angel, North London Posts: 1,886 38 Photos	joe messina ripped some pretty impressive jazz on a tele before he became a motown house guitarist. __________________ "What is it with chimpanzees and that middle parting? It's so 1920s." www.myspace.com/daddylonglegsuk http://www.myspace.com/thetacticians

February 6th, 2006, 11:26 AM	#19 (permalink)
Telemarkman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Age: 61 Posts: 4,729	Listen to Roy Buchanan's rendition of "Misty" on the TV- documentary "The Best Unknown Guitarist In The World" from 1971 - just heartbreakingly beautiful ! Even if Roy couldn't actually be characterized as a jazz player, he could play anything he wanted to, and his blues background in fact enhanced his jazz playing !

February 6th, 2006, 12:58 PM	#20 (permalink)
Unburst Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 185	Ed Bickert Bill Frisell Mike Stern Ted Greene

February 6th, 2006, 03:52 PM	#21 (permalink)
mitscan Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Minnesota Posts: 120	Tele Players with Norah Jones Jim Campilongo has played with Norah Jones. They are in a country cover band called Little Willies together, along with Lee Alexander on bass, Richard Julian on guitar and vocals, and Dan Rieser on drums. They often plat at The Living Room in NYC, and they have a disc coming out on March 7, covering tunes by Fred Rose, Hank Williams, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Kris Kristofferson, Townes Van Zandt, Willie Nelson, Harland Howard and Jimmy Driftwood, as well as a few original songs. Campilongo often plays a ’59 Tele through a ’66 Princeton Reverb, but you also might catch him playing through a ‘70 Vibrolux Reverb (which he claims has a SS rectifier in place of the original tube) and a 60's Deluxe Reverb. Jim is a very cool player, whether you call him country or blues or jazz or whatever. He can play anything, and really well. And he’s a huge Roy Buchanan fan, too, of course. The other guy Norah Jones plays with is the equally incredible Adam Levy, who always used to play a ’79 ES 335 (through a BFDR on Tracy Chapman’s Give Me One Reason) but now sometimes plays a ‘70s Tele. Like Campilongo (and Bill Frisell), Levy is a Princeton/Princeton Reverb player, although I think he may have started using Belov amps, too. Now that this thread has reminded me of those two guys, along with Frisell, I might have to change the quote I have as my signature line, because those three guys -- who aren't Nashville players by any stretch -- are a good as it gets, if you ask me. __________________ 'The best guitar players in the world are in Nashville, Tennessee.' -- Jeff Beck

February 6th, 2006, 04:51 PM	#22 (permalink)
Eric Karonen Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Age: 56 Posts: 1,401	Kevin Breit (tele again) has played with Norah Jones as well, and with Cassandra Wilson. __________________ Sounds the tough horn, and twangs the quivering string. --Pope (1688-1744)

February 6th, 2006, 04:56 PM	#23 (permalink)
hekawi Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: greenville, sc Posts: 2,043	bernie williams yes that bernie williams. the ny yankees player also has some recordings and plays concert with his jazz group. photos on his website show him with a tele and an ovation, and i believe he also has a tele-coustic and a strata-coustic.