Jazz Guitar Soloing Etudes

Chord melody is not only a requisite skill for jazz guitarists, it’s also some of the most gratifying and enjoyable music that you can make all by yourself with your favorite instrument. Taking full advantage of the polyphonic qualities of guitar by playing both rhythm and melody simultaneously, and keeping it all in the groove, is certainly challenging but the learning curve flattens dramatically once you develop the foundational skills. Frank Vignola’s Essentials: Chord Melody Etudes will get you up and running quickly, with a series of etudes designed to impart the essential skill set. “In this edition of Essentials: Chord Melody Etudes, my goal is to give you a foundation to build on with eight chord melody etudes covering a range of keys and approaches.

The concept of freedom in music relates to many things. Bassist/composer Clovis Nicolas didn’t eschew formal jazz harmony and rhythm in the search for freedom but found a measure of added purpose and space for his bass playing in a chord-less band format without piano or guitar. Freedom Suite Ensuite is a recording of Nicolas’s efforts in this formation and a tribute to the musician who exemplifies playing free within a form, saxophone great Sonny Rollins.