The 25 Greatest Jazz Guitar Solos

Jazz guitar solos are improvised, so this list ranks recorded performances rather than compositions. It runs from Charlie Christian's first electric solos through Wes Montgomery and Grant Green to Pat Metheny, with Montgomery and Christian most heavily represented because later players learned the instrument from them.

Informed by: JazzGuitar.be – Top 10 best jazz guitar solos (reader poll), Wikipedia – Virtuoso (Joe Pass album), Wikipedia – Concierto (Jim Hall album)

1. 1
   Four on Six

   Wes Montgomery · solo by Wes Montgomery · 1960
2. 2
   Bésame Mucho

   Wes Montgomery · solo by Wes Montgomery · 1963
3. 3
   Minor Swing

   Django Reinhardt · solo by Django Reinhardt · 1937
4. 4
   Solo Flight

   Benny Goodman and His Orchestra · solo by Charlie Christian · 1941
5. 5
   Swing to Bop

   Charlie Christian · solo by Charlie Christian · 1941
6. 6
   Django

   Joe Pass · solo by Joe Pass · 1964
7. 7
   Bright Size Life

   Pat Metheny · solo by Pat Metheny · 1976
8. 8
   Breezin'

   George Benson · solo by George Benson · 1976
9. 9
   No Blues

   Wes Montgomery · solo by Wes Montgomery · 1965
10. 10
    Nuages

    Quintette du Hot Club de France · solo by Django Reinhardt · 1940
11. 11
    Just Friends

    Pat Martino · solo by Pat Martino · 1967
12. 12
    You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To

    Jim Hall · solo by Jim Hall · 1975
13. 13
    Blues for Willarene

    Grant Green · solo by Grant Green · 1961
14. 14
    Chitlins con Carne

    Kenny Burrell · solo by Kenny Burrell · 1963
15. 15
    West Coast Blues

    Wes Montgomery · solo by Wes Montgomery · 1960
16. 16
    Cherokee

    Joe Pass · solo by Joe Pass · 1973
17. 17
    Seven Come Eleven

    Benny Goodman Sextet · solo by Charlie Christian · 1939
18. 18
    Full House

    Wes Montgomery · solo by Wes Montgomery · 1962
19. 19
    Idle Moments

    Grant Green · solo by Grant Green · 1965
20. 20
    My Funny Valentine

    Bill Evans & Jim Hall · solo by Jim Hall · 1962
21. 21
    Take Five

    George Benson · solo by George Benson · 1974
22. 22
    Sunny

    Pat Martino · solo by Pat Martino · 1972
23. 23
    Moonlight in Vermont

    Johnny Smith · solo by Johnny Smith · 1952
24. 24
    Back at the Chicken Shack

    Jimmy Smith · solo by Kenny Burrell · 1963
25. 25
    Air Mail Special

    Benny Goodman Sextet · solo by Charlie Christian · 1941