Great Guitars is a sporadically-recurring supergroup that includes Charlie Byrd and Herb Ellis. Its enigmatic name, Great Guitars, carries huge expectations. With world-class talent such as these three, their music is often worth the billing. It’s a genially swinging, harmonically erudite and infused with Latin and classical influences. Ellis and Kessel play a Charlie Christian-rooted solo beat. Great Guitars was founded in 1973. It recorded its first live album, Concord Jazz’s fourth, in July 1974. The three would go on to record four more albums and tour together. Barney Kessel suffered a severe stroke in 1992 that ended his career. Ellis and Byrd continued to work with Great Guitars. They added Ron Eschete in the Carl Jefferson tribute concert in July 1995. In 1996, Ellis recorded a fine reunion album with Mundell Lowe, Larry Coryell, and five more tracks. Allmusic
