The Solos You Want To Learn By Ear To Play better Jazz Guitar

[@JensLarsen]

Recommend great solos you have checked out!! What to do with solos that you transcribe or learn by ear: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqHVfYx8ptKCjK8

[@cjgreen4331]

While I wouldnt recommend this as a first solo, due to the odd time signature and Wes's signature chord soloing and octaves, it's a genius solo to check out, and you can't go wrong with a blues, right? -West Coast Blues, Wes Montgomery

[@JensLarsen]

@@cjgreen4331 True! I usually give students the single note part of the first Four On Six solo from that album.

[@cjgreen4331]

@@JensLarsen Awesome, love them both. I have no idea how you can be that creative without all the inspiration and music at our fingertips we have today

[@JensLarsen]

@@cjgreen4331 On the other hand: It was a lot easier not to get distracted or overloaded with information

[@paulpmanhowland7818]

Miles Davis' solo on Bye Bye Blackbird from the album 'Round Midnight. It's got good stuff, theme and variations, a lot of arpeggios, some cool little chromatic approach notes and almost all of it fit within my skill level in terms of speed. I got the idea for learning this by ear from the book How to Start to Play Jazz and Improvise, by Andy Mc Swain.

[@BecketSolis]

Jens shouting out a bunch of jazz teachers makes this a lot better

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! :)

[@boomerdell]

Amen. Jens' genuine generosity and collaborative Spirit really shine through in all he does.

[@robertgrippo5312]

Yes glad to see that these guys don't all hate each other.

[@JensLarsen]

@@robertgrippo5312 I think that the comment section is really the only place with hate on KZbin :)

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Thanks for having me in your video, Jens. Transcribing songs is extremely important. Not only for developing a good ear, but for so many other things as well. And it's so rewarding. It can be frustrating at first, but the more you transcribe, the more you'll realize parts of lines you've already learned are used by other players too. As a reward for the efforts, your ears and muscle memory will lead you to good lines when improvising.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you for being a part of this 🙂

[@overtonesnteatime198]

Hi Sandra :)

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

@@overtonesnteatime198 Hello 👋

[@jimjmcd]

I love the fact that there's a community of teachers who appreciate each other and who each have something of their own to say.

[@JensLarsen]

Yes, I think that is very valuable as well 🙂

[@NathanBortonMusic]

Thank you Jens so much for including me on this! It was great to hear/see everyone else as well. Videos like this bring the jazz guitar community together! So many great solos!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you wanted to be a part of it 🙂

[@apresmidi153]

Really liked your choice...not a solo I would have really come across any other way!

[@sandrocavali9810]

Priceless. Thank you. From the blue village of Sitges

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you found it useful 🙂

[@urbachd]

I'm blown away by the fact that I can simply pull up all these songs on my computer. I don't have to search all over the city for old recordings. We live in an incredible time. We are so lucky! (But with our luck comes poor compensation to artists.)

[@QobelD]

Please make a 'Jazz Solos: beginner to advanced levels' video. Your YT content is exceptional and very much appreciated. Thanks Jens

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Robert. I will probably make one with beginner suggestions, since later it gets a lot easier to choose and you need to go with things that fit your taste :)

[@andercoyote4170]

Great comment. As I an reading the suggestions by some commenters, it's immediately apparent that not all these suggestions are going to be for beginners. It's a fascinating topic as one listens to players and teachers explain why they choose these pieces. Thx

[@johnmwatrous]

yes I agree. S@@andercoyote4170

[@jaimelamusik214]

A solo that I have rehearsed a lot is Charlie Christian "I got rhythm". I learned a lot from it.

[@108高中畢業林大為]

Days of Wines and Roses by Dexter Gordon in his album Swiss Night, vol.1 is probably another nice choice. We can learn some bebop language with a relatively slow tempo.

[@kevindavidquinn3571]

Chet Baker’s solo on Tangerine changed my life

[@waynehicks1969]

I am glad to see you making videos with Sandra Sherman. I learn a lot from both of you.

[@JensLarsen]

Sandra is great 🙂

[@SharpElevenMusic]

Jim Hall on Taste of Honey. 🙂 And Paul Desmond on... Taste of Honey (both the live version, although studio one is great too)

[@JensLarsen]

Indeed! Both are great solos :)

[@johnwiatrak3944]

Jim Hall on Without a Song off of The Bridge. Easy but soooo good.

[@schnirzelzwirn]

My first transciption and entrance to jazz guitar: "Good Bye Pork Pie Hat" by Jeff Beck on "Wired". Recommendation of my teacher 40 years ago. Can hardly be labelled as a jazz solo, but served well as a transition from rock pentatonics to jazz. Good for phrasing and tone too. The next he gave to me was Benson, "On Broadway", from 'Weekend in L.A ". He was a teacher for classical guitar, b.t.w.

[@jacksonmanning5477]

Written by Charles mingus

[@schnirzelzwirn]

@@jacksonmanning5477 Absolutely right, composed by Mingus, the solo performed by Beck.

[@BLACKJACK-jm2sg]

Jeff Beck… really?

[@deandaniel4911]

Love that one too

[@The_Pedal_Guy]

Days of Wine & Roses solo by Wes was a good starting point for me.

[@JensLarsen]

Great solo for sure 🙂

[@rickjensen2717]

Although I am a classical guitarist and also like to play jazz, I actually listen to the rock players as they understand harmony progressions and can compose excellent and memorable solos - e.g. Jimmy Page: 'ten years gone'

[@JensLarsen]

Ok. That is a great solo. It may not help you play Jazz a lot better though :)

[@CliffieVanR]

One of my favorite Paige solos!

[@JensLarsen]

@@CliffieVanR Did you see my answer to your ATTYA question in the FB group? I didn't get to it until yesterday :)

[@CliffieVanR]

@@JensLarsen I must have missed it - will check it out. Thanks Jens!

[@jantonisito]

Shady Side - nice relaxed tune by Johny Hodges and Gerry Mulligan - very melodic and logical. Criminally underappreciated tune.

[@PANDORAZTOYBOKZ]

For more intermediate players, Jim Hall's solo on "I'll Never Smile Again (Take 7)", from Bill Evans' "Interplay", is one of the most perfectly distilled hard bop solos for my money. Lots of seemingly intricate lines made up from foundational theory that is easy to recognize with a little bit of background in harmonic function. The lines are tough at tempo but have lots of space in between to breathe, and (what I believe to be most important) it's incredibly singable, which I think is a very often overlooked aspect when people are learning to transcribe for the first time.

[@rockguitarmodes]

All great suggestions: to begin to understand the language of Bebop on a blues, my recommendation would be ‘Cool Blues’ by Charlie Parker. As a guitarist I found his note choices on the changes a revelation. I learned the first two choruses by ear

[@guillaumegilbert2389]

-Lester Young tenor solo on Lady Be Good(Jones-Smith inc.) -Charlie Christian gtr solo on Rose Room(w/Benny Goodman) -Wardell Gray tenor solo on Twisted -Grant Green gtr solo on The best things in life are free(w/Hank Mobley) -Louis Armstrong solo on Big Butter and Egg Man from the West -Chet Baker vcl solo on It could happen to you -Grant Green gtr solo on The Shadow of your smile(w/Big John Patton)

[@mathieufechant1416]

i started my whole guitar playing following justinguitar on my own during high school so great to see him here !

[@JensLarsen]

Justin is a great guy, who has actually done a lot for guitar players the last 10 years :)

[@robertzullo8707]

What a great idea Jens. And a tasteful way to share some of these fine teachers, some I was already familiar with, and many new ones. It takes a big man to step away from center stage and highlight what other artists are doing. It could take years to find these solos, and to have them shared, all in a matter of minutes is fantastic. Having been a partner with a teacher for many years I've come to the understanding that a great teacher is one who is invested in the growth of his/her students. Who actually cares that they "get it". You sir are a great teacher. Thank you, thank, thank you!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much Robert! That really makes my day 🙂

[@underwoodvoice9077]

It's fascinating to me that every Jens Larsen video dovetails nearly perfectly with what I'm trying to do at the time; case in point, after resisting transcription for years, I sat down recently to transcribe Charlie Christian's solo on Flying Home. Now here's a video with a great sampling of solos to work out. Thanks, Jens, for putting this together, and for all the musicians who contributed.

[@mikemurdock7234]

One for me is Wes Montgomery's Mr. Walker with the octave licks. That was the song that truly made me want to learn about Jazz, though a very complex song for a beginner. It took me years to understand it, but I always go back to that solo. Wes does a lot of amazing things with octaves.

[@NathanBortonMusic]

That’s a great one!

[@misterree1443]

The 16 Men Of Tain is a good in road. Great work thank you for gently persuading me the correct tools.

[@edcoma1691]

I love red garlands solo on bye bye blackbird on round about midnight. The melodies. Feel. Phrasing.

[@DaveLynchJazzGuitar]

Good suggestions! I will try and check some of these out! Thanks Jens and all the other guys and gals.

[@JensLarsen]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@ericj9999]

Check Dizzy Gillespie's solo on "Con Alma," recorded in 1957 with Sonny Stitt on tenor sax. It appears on various albums, including "Duets," released in 1957, and "Dizzy, Rollins, and Stitt," released 1962. Start by learning to play the simple sections, of which there are several, and work up from there. This solo will repay long study, both for how he uses rhythm and melody, and how he weaves around the changes.

[@rillloudmother]

It's on the album Sonny Side Up

[@brothercaleb]

Joe Pass’ solo playing Clifford Brown’s “joy spring” 🔥

[@johnmwatrous]

this is excellent ( i am also working through your video with 5 solos, which is great). really superb, getting different perspectives, different instruments and styles. thank you !!!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it helped!

[@coreyconwaymusic9801]

No. 1 Green Street by Grant Green is a great bridge from blues into Jazz. One of the real eye openers for me was hearing the b9 of the root (B on a Bb blues) being played (which is actually the major 3rd of the 6 chord in the 1-6-2-5 turnaround). Got me thinking along the lines of playing arpeggios and chord tones rather than relying on guessing what will sound good within familiar scales.

[@Victor2612]

Barry Greene said something very important. Thank you.

[@pallhe]

It's funny that Mikko's recommendation, Django's "Minor Swing", is the first jazz solo I remember "transcribing" (learning by ear). It stood me in good stead when I first tried soloing over "Autumn Leaves" because I could use some of the same lines or variations of them, especially over the V chord as I remember. I didn't know it was called a V chord at the time but I understood the concept all the same.

[@tripp8833]

The tempo is insane right

[@amandateoh1164]

JUSTIN'S GUITAR!!?!?!? I have come full circle.... 😂 I watched him when i first picked up the guitar but gave up and tried again a few years later from watching Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

Haha! Justin is really great, and a very nice guy!

[@jamesmmusic5806]

Yes that Paul Desmond solo!

[@xawki]

Really a brilliant idea my friend to gather all this beautiful 🎉 congrats and thank yawll😊

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks so much 😊

[@chrisneyman]

Wow. I loved Barry's explanation of why learning solos is important! Thank you for including it.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it's useful 🙂

[@brianmessemer2973]

This is wonderful on many levels.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! 🙂

[@tripp8833]

These collaborations are so sweet... shows how youtubers are part of a community instead of just being competitive. Thanks jens

[@lushpatiogardencreationsre4414]

jENS, you are a gift spreading jazzism like this

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you find it useful 🙂

[@luizricardo-b5]

The best recommendation was the last one for a begginner

[@jamescopeland5358]

It helps to have things like this video, other ideas is good for all and you showing others is why your lessons are so good. Thx

[@binface9]

Nice of Mikko Hilden to have your book in the background (and a bottle of Gammel Dansk).

[@JensLarsen]

Yes. I also really appreciated that 🙂

[@matiasbenitez3593]

charlie christian grand slam to start in jazz guitar is a good choice

[@JensLarsen]

True! I learned that really early as well

[@Mikkokosmos]

Very good! I'll recommend this to my students

[@matiasbenitez3593]

@@Mikkokosmos I'm really fan of your videos, I really appreciate your content, from Argentina.

[@Mikkokosmos]

@@matiasbenitez3593 thank you 🤠

[@tristanavakian]

Dexter Gordon - Lady Bird. Clear, nails the changes. Just the first chorus will give you a lot of bop vocabulary right away

[@JensLarsen]

That is indeed a great solo

[@captainkoo]

Another excellent lesson. One thing that has helped me when transcribing is to figure out WHY the artist is playing what he/she’s playing , and not just memorize the notes and phrasing. That way, I can use the principles later.

[@JensLarsen]

Analyzing the phrase is indeed a great idea! :)

[@elliotlangford824]

This is a great video! I wish KZbin and this community had existed when I was studying jazz guitar in college 17 years ago!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! It is at least something that not everything is getting worse with time :)

[@apresmidi153]

I don't transcribe a lot and probably not in the right way as I usually just wrote the solo down but the Chet Baker solo on Summertime is a solo that has really stuck in my head for a decent amount of time. Charlie Christian's rose room is also one that I got something out of studying.

[@JensLarsen]

That's great!

[@HristoVelev]

The first one I learned was Chet Baker's Autumn leaves, awesome stuff

[@JensLarsen]

Great choice!

[@BLACKJACK-jm2sg]

This is actually a decent lesson that you tell us about what exactly to do. Not like those disjointed lessons that has no organizations on KZbin

[@benkatof4240]

Great collaborative video Jens! Also - love Sandra Sherman and her choice of Paul Desmond's Take 5 solo. It was the first one i learned by ear for exactly the reasons she mentioned. Love your content too, Sandra - grrrrrreatings to you from USA!

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Grrreetings, Ben 😊

[@johnhyvarinen2396]

La do la ti... re...la do la ti so mi

[@KennyHolloway]

Autumn Leaves is always a great one to get going. I also think it's important to feel a connection to the song your learn because that desire will drive learning. For a player experienced in other genres, Midnight Blue by Kenny Burrell is one I really like, even if that passage around 2:30 is a little challenging. I like the mix of playing chords and melody.

[@ericburgess4784]

“You Stepped Out Of A Dream” by Grant Green. Not particularly difficult to play, but lots of great arpeggios and licks that introduced me to some basic jazz vocabulary

[@PaulPaterson]

Django Reinhardt "Blues Claire" 1943. A simple jazz blues in "C". A masterclass in the difference between jazz blues and traditional blues. Lots to learn; playing to the changes, Swing 8th notes, using major 7 instead of blues 7, building up a solo from single notes to chord soloing, harmonics, and even an unexpected key change thrown in. You could spend years learning from this one solo. I always enjoy your channel. Best wishes from Scotland. 😁

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Paul! Great suggestion!

[@PaulPaterson]

@@JensLarsen Thanks 😁.

[@Mikkokosmos]

Yes! Another Django classic! 😎👍

[@serdaryaylali7087]

John Scofield's solo on " Leaving " Live concert.

[@notmyname3681]

Late to this party, but.. made me happy that Minor Swing was the first suggestion. Only just dipping my toe into jazz after 5yrs playing and Gypsy Jazz is what i really want to play. Had picked out Minor Swing to learn randomly as my first song not realising how famous it is, just liked the name 😂 La Vie en Rose is another project, the Gypsy Caravan version. My suggestion for a great solo from a 'beginner's' position is both the guitar and trumpet solo from Billie Holiday's 'Comes Love' (master take 4). The guitar is so smooth and the trumpet solo is just sexy, with beautiful phrasing and feel (no idea who played, to my shame)❤ Both parts are very clear and easy to sing along to, which is great. Great vid as always.

[@bradfordlaneromans2994]

Jens, what a fantastic idea. Simply brilliant. My man.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it Dr Brad!

[@oguzcankoseoglu]

Incredible jazz guitar of wes montgomery album is worth to figure wes’ solos by ear. Im still learning new things from him.

[@stephengarrison172]

Just subscribed to a bunch of these people!

[@RC32Smiths01]

Learning by ear is one of the best abilities you can get! Great work!

[@JensLarsen]

Yes! Thank you!

[@RC32Smiths01]

@@JensLarsen You're welcome!

[@530mrose]

Miles's solo on Solar. Great theme and variation approach. The tune is short, but the changes are trickier than they seem at first.

[@blainelilly2971]

What a great idea, and also typically generous of you Jens to give some "air time" to some other teachers. Lots of good ideas to track down here. My own suggestion would be Miles's solo on "Blues by Five". Thanks for this!

[@nixternal]

Wow, I follow Justin because, well that's where I started learning almost 2 years ago, but the rest of the list, thank you for that introduction! I've now subbed to everyone, got all the songs they recommended into a transcribe folder, and will start working on them as part of my transcribing/ear training practice. Thanks again for this!

[@JensLarsen]

Great! Go for it 🙂

[@giaras64]

Great video with lot of my favorite wonderful teachers on KZbin! Great team nice to see them all together

[@michaelstevens8]

If i had to pick a solo or album to recommend to transcribe or learn by ear that says this is what Traditional Jazz Guitar is supposed to sound like, it would be Wes Montgomery Smokin' At The Half Note. He's got it all on that album. Tone, Rhythm, Language, Phrasing. Great video as always Jens. Thanks.

[@3340steve]

Absolutely right. A guitarist wanting to learn to solo convincingly should lift all the solos of Smokin at the Half Note. Like Kind of BLUE, Smokin at the Half note is the gold standard for great phrasing and is full of JAZZ feeling.

[@stevesilver9069]

Jazz is the most egalitarian art form, and the inherent sharing is the essence of its beauty. It's so inspiring to see all the great jazz educators together, compiled by inarguably the most prolific. And the recommendations are stellar and necessary Cats. Thanks to all - and especially you Jens.

[@JensLarsen]

That is very kind of you. Thank you, Steve.

[@StevenRosenberg]

Jens, this is a great video. Very inspiring!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bligotblam]

A solo I learned a lot from comming from a blues background was Joe Henderson's Tenor Saxophone solo on Horice Silvers Song for my Father self titled album 1965. It was great for expanding on an idea rythmically and dynamically without complicating it so much.

[@JensLarsen]

Joe Henderson is always great!

[@QobelD]

This is such a useful video. Thank you for including so many different professional recommendations. Very cool

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@JGlassy]

Blue Mitchell’s solo on Park Avenue Petite. Very chill, understated, excellent use of space and stellar phrasing.

[@jackelshaw7331]

I was going to say So What. The space is incredible, plus it was the first time I heard someone anticipate the change using the next key's chord tones

[@carlosixty6876]

Well done . Thank you jens

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@gianpaolovercesi7326]

dear Jean Larsen it is incredible how much I can learn from his videolessons even though I am Italian but they are so well explained that I too can benefit from them and for this I thank you !!!

[@JensLarsen]

That's really great to hear 🙂

[@kamaismusic]

What a great video. Inviting his friends is always a good idea for a good chat. My first jazz transcription was the solo of Jimmy Raney on Have You Met Miss Jones. It is just 2 -3 years ago. And all the stuff I learned before started making sence. I still play this solo just for warming up. Before that, I played a lot of Pop, Rock and also classical guitar music.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Siamak Sattari I am glad you found it useful! 👍

[@davidedalfarra8236]

An important tool for my long time battle against melodic playing. Thanks Jens!

[@ericrose3877]

Jens, you are REALLY digging in to what is the truth, and what is not, about learning, teaching, and playing. Thank you, I always watch your videos.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@101xaplax101]

great video Jens........ I love all of these teachers.......I studied mortens stuff for a few years.....he is unbelievably talented

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Ted!

[@TimBeauBennett]

Roy Hargrove's solo on the album version of Strasburg St Denis is really worthwhile

[@donfraser3348]

Thanks Jens! You featured some of my favourite on line teachers with some great suggestions!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome!

[@codica666]

This is just an amazing idea and an amazing video. Thank you for posting this Dr. Larsen.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@JohnSmithiuyytw]

Really great video. Thanks all!

[@dward8758]

Charlie Christian, live at minions, stomping at the savoy. There are written transcriptions, not the easiest to learn but just the first chorus is packed with every Christian device and it is really fun to learn and play.

[@VCaamano]

Jens, this may sound silly, but you changed my life. Ok, dramatic. I’ve been avoiding transcribing for years. Finally your presentation, including some of my favorite players, made sense to me. Thanks so much!

[@JensLarsen]

Happy to help!

[@joepalooka2145]

Great solo list. For Charlie Christian I've been trying to learn "Stardust". I think it's one of the most amazing guitar solos I've ever heard. Charlie's phrasing, timing, and melodic inventiveness are fantastic, considering the era he played in and how young he was at the time. "Genius" is an understatement for Charlie, in my opinion.

[@JensLarsen]

Great choice to check out 🙂

[@kerrym9254]

What a wonderful post.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Glad you like it 🙂

[@soundguitar]

Great video! I love how you featured all the other teachers. My solo suggestion is Lester Young's solo on All of Me when he played with Billie Holiday. There are two versions you'll find if you look up All of Me with Billie Holiday and Lester Young and both of his solos on those two versions are great for learning. In fact, he uses some of the same thematic material in both of them, which is a nice little insight into how he's thinking over the tune. Every note feels intentional in these solos and it's great practice transcribing solos that aren't just from guitar players. Cheers everyone! -Jared

[@pauljacques2278]

What a great video! Brilliant information. Thanks Jens. You are the go to guy for jazz!!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you think so! Thanks!

[@gabrieleautore2940]

This was exactly the video I was looking for. Jens your channel is awesome! Thanks a lot!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@riccardo8475]

you are the best on youtube,i understand something about jazz thank you from italy

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂 Glad you like the videos

[@bigmistake5565]

Ok well this is exactly what I needed

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@semu16]

Thank you very much dear Jens, a big hug from Sicily! :-)

[@lowenderjones]

The first solo I tackled front to back was Gerry Mulligan on Bernies Tune. I'd recommend it to anybody from a beginner to somebody lightyears ahead of me.

[@JensLarsen]

Great suggestion!

[@scotttipping8193]

All of your videos are great Jens. Love your humility and straight forward style. This idea of asking others what they recommend was great, and this serves as an awesome starting point, even just for listening to all the solos. Thank you

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much, Scott 🙂

[@raulnavarro4003]

¡Maestro! Infinitas gracias por todo lo que compartes. He aprendido mucho con tus videos y este último es una gran llave para seguir avanzando. Aparte de enseñar increíble eres muy humilde al compartir este material. Una gran muestra de fraternidad. Un abrazo desde Chile con todo mi respeto y cariño.

[@aaronservice86]

Man your video quality as grown exponentially...Great video man!

[@cbolt4492]

Great line up in this video

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you think so!

[@PsyJaye]

Thank you Jens...great guitarists with great down to earth suggestions...Peace & Love from Virginia

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it!

[@frankhowell8139]

Thanks Jens. That was very helpful. Now we have work to do! Those are a great group of teachers. I appreciate the time it took you to assemble this video.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mattkahnguitar]

Cannonball Adderley on Milestones (1958) Great time feel/lyricism on a simple modal tune

[@JensLarsen]

Yes, I remember checking out some of that as well for exactly those reasons

[@MrTelmoM]

Really Love the Chet Baker solo on It Could Happen To You. Love transcribing Chet Baker!!

[@JensLarsen]

Chet is indeed worthwhile checking out 🙂