Chuck Anderson Jazz Guitar

Thoughts and Observations
My first observation was more of a feeling than a thought. The words coming from the pages evoked a feeling of familiarity – not the words themselves but the feelings that came out of the words. The visceral sense of loneliness when you’re conceiving of and pursuing a creative idea which is neither [...]

Since the age of 16, I’ve been fascinated by the Jazz Guitar. I can’t tell you why … why I didn’t want to be a Rock star or the Lead guitar player in a famous Rock, Blues or Country band.
The fame held no appeal to me nor did the promise of money. My interest seemed [...]

I recently wrote this in Pat Martino’s guest book after hearing an interview that he did about his experience with Wes Montgomery.
I listened recently to your interview about your experience with Wes Montgomery, It was strangely similar to mine. It took place when I was 16 and it was also at Pep’s Bar. After a [...]

Today’s blog will be very brief but important.
Jazz guitarists are, like many other guitar players, obsessed with speed. Although speed is a good measurement of how much you’ve practiced, it’s not a good measurement of how musical you are.
Today’s advice is simple. Remember that whole notes , half notes, dotted half notes and quarter notes [...]

This is a copy of an E mail that I sent to Ben Ratliff, jazz critic for The New York Times It’s in response to a question concerning the market for jazz.
Ben,
I am a veteran jazz guitarist, born in Chicago but based in suburban Philadelphia.
I appreciate how you handle sensitive topics related to the Art [...]

The issue of picking has been debated for years with opinions on all sides. Picking gets down to pairs: 2 downs, 2 ups, 1 down and 1 up and 1 up and 1 down.
Alternate picking is typically used for 2 notes on 1 string. Consecutive picking is used to transition from string to string when [...]

This question was posed on The Jazz Network. This was my response.
Blues can be typically described as a 12 bar song structure based on the I, IV and V chords. These fundamental chords appear at specific locations within the 12 bar format. The function of the I chord occupies bars 1 through 4. Bars 5 [...]

The guitar world has always been obsessed with who is faster or better. The reality is that all good players are fast and knowledgeable about chords, improvisation and harmony.
What makes one different than another is not the external factors of technique but the unique projection of personality that comes through the music. Just as you [...]

I’m currently writing a series of articles for the national magazine Just Jazz Guitar. The articles take a detailed look at the process of reading music for the jazz guitarist. The first installment appears in the November issue of 2008.
Just Jazz Guitar, as the name implies, focuses on the art and craft of the [...]

No matter what your involvement is in music, marketing needs to be a way of life. This is true more for the musician seeking to make a living in music but it generally applies to anyone with goals other than pure aesthetics.
What is marketing? Marketing is the entire range of activities that involve increasing your [...]