Ted Greene - Solo Guitar (1977) (PMP A-5010 First pressing) (24-bit96kHZ vinyl rip)

Ted Greene - Solo Guitar
Vinyl rip in 24-bit / 96kHZ [and redbook] FLAC + artwork
595 MB / 120 MB | magnet + mega | Jazz
PMP A-5010 (First Pressing)

Chances are that most jazz fans may not have heard of jazz guitarist Ted Greene, though it is not for his lack of abilities.

Liner notes: This album was recorded in two separate recording sessions. The only performer is Ted Greene, and no "over dubbing" (multiple track recording) was done. (Although we did take advantage of modern recording techniques to reduce unwanted guitar and amplifier noise, we did not record this album with any of the popular "noise reduction systems" currently in use. We did not wish to risk "coloring" Ted's guitar sound.) Each song is recorded as Ted might perform it "live".

The rotary phasing effect is the result of simultaneously recording the guitar through "the board", and through a small Leslie rotating speaker.

We are very pleased to have collaborated with Ted on the creation of this album, and to make it available to all of his friends and admirers (who have waited so long), and we are looking forward to future efforts with Ted.

While Greene is often regarded as a jazz musician, he played many musical styles. He was known to guitarists due to his role as a music educator, which included private teaching, seminars at the Guitar Institute of Technology, columns for Guitar Player magazine, and his series of instructional books on guitar harmony, chord melody and single-note soloing. A voracious reader of almost any book on music theory, especially from the 'Common Practice Period' (circa 1600-1900) he distilled very complex concepts regarding the structure of western music, and would write out more accessible versions for students to understand (handed out to students in the form of lesson "sheets"), often applying keyboard concepts to the guitar. For example, many transcriptions of the Chorals of J.S. Bach would be re-written for guitar, along with useful analysis applicable to any musical setting, such as jazz and other styles.

He would also make occasional live appearances at clubs in the San Fernando Valley, usually playing a Fender Telecaster.

Greene typically worked as a vocal accompanist, which he preferred because he found group settings restrictive. While he was a sought-after session player, he derived much of his income from tutoring. He wrote four books on the subject of jazz guitar performance and theory: Chord Chemistry, Modern Chord Progressions: Jazz and Classical Voicings for Guitar, and the two-volume Jazz Guitar: Single Note Soloing.

His playing style included techniques such as harp-like harmonic arpeggios, combined with gentle, tasteful neck vibrato, creating a "shimmer" to his sound. Other notable techniques included playing songs with a "walking bass" line with simultaneous melodies. Greene used counterpoint to improvise in a variety of styles, such as playing a jazz standard such as Autumn Leaves in Baroque style. He used a large variety of chord voicings, often creating the effect of two simultaneous players.

He recorded one album "Solo Guitar" in 1977, and although respected by guitarists, he was not well known to the public. The recording, originally released in 1977 on PMP Records, contains no "over dubbing" (recording on multiple tracks). Guitar virtuoso Steve Vai has praised Greene's musical knowledge and perceptiveness on this recording, stating that Greene "is totally in touch with the potential of harmonic constructions" which allows him to create an "organic and inspired listening delight."
Josh Gordon, in Just Jazz Guitar Magazine, stated that the recording has a "feeling of perfect proportion" and a "full spectrum of emotion and harmonic vision." Steven Rosenberg, in the Los Angeles Daily newspaper, stated "Greene managed to raise the bar for solo guitar."

Greene helped Fender design a 1952 Telecaster vintage reissue (their first such reissue) by making reference to his collection of old Telecasters, Broadcasters and Nocasters. Greene died in his apartment in Encino of a heart attack at age 58.

Ted Greene has the deepest ears that music can flow through. He is totally in touch with the potential of harmonic constructions. On this record he defies the technical physics of Jazz melody chord voicings but creates an organic and inspired listening delight. A must for anyone who puts their fingers on an instrument with strings.
Steve Vai - Guitarist

Ted Greene's legendary "Solo Guitar" album, first released on LP in 1977, has been an inspiration to fingerstyle Jazz guitarists for over a quarter century. By the recent release of this album on compact disc, Art of Life Records has added to its already impressive catalog of Jazz guitar music. The nine songs on the album are all perfectly realized gems of tasteful and inspired Jazz guitar playing, so beautiful and fresh sounding even after all these years. There's a feeling of perfect proportion, characteristic of much great art and music. A full spectrum of emotion and harmonic vision is expressed, in a very inviting and rewarding manner.
Josh Gordon - Just Jazz Guitar Magazine

...Greene managed to raise the bar for solo guitar, combining the techniques of Joe Pass, George Van Eps and Lenny Breau for what seemed like physically impossible feats of music-making. Fretting a Fender Telecaster, shimmering chords, bass lines and melodies fly every which way in covers of eight standards.
Steven Rosenberg - Los Angeles Daily Newspaper

I have been listening to this album by my dear friend Ted Greene since it first came out in 1977. I still, to this day, hear and learn something new every time I hear it. It is very beautiful and soulful music, as well as an encyclopedia of chord voicings, substitutions, modulations, harmonics and more. The deep soul of Ted?s music is in his use of chords. I am inspired, nourished and educated on every listening. It is very wonderful to have it available again, thanks to Paul G. Kohler at Art of Life Records and Ted.
George Winston - Pianist

Just as with Preston Reed, this is one guy playing, this time on a Telecaster, with NO OVERDUBS!

Ed Bickert is another great jazz Tele player, and of course Mike Stern plays a Tele-style, something gorgeous about that tone!

This is the later pressing cover


tracks:
A1 They Can't Take That Away From Me 3:32
A2 Summertime / It Ain't Necessarily So 4:30
A3 Send In The Clowns 4:51
A4 Ol' Man River 4:14
B1 Watch What Happens 2:23
B2 A Certain Smile 4:17
B3 Danny Boy (Londonberry Air) 4:45
B4 Just Friends 4:12

credits:
Ted Greene - Guitar

transfer: March 17, 2013
Record Doctor RCM
Audio-Technica AT33EV
Sota Sapphire w/ Eminent Technology Tonearm 2 (ET-2)
Tube Box SE II w/NOS Telefunken ECC83
TC Electronic Impact Twin ACD
Sound Studio [capture 24-bit/96kHZ]
Amadeus Pro [Analyze, split tracks, verify waveform, no clipping]
Izotope RX2 [manual de-clicking]
xACT [flac conversion, tagging, ffp]
Matrix / Runout (etched Side 1 (both versions)): A5010 (RE2)-1
Matrix / Runout (etched Side 2 (both versions)): A5010 (RE2)-2