As a result, Ulmer created a discursive idiom defined by scratchy chords and jagged melodic shards.

Perhaps thats because, traditionally, the guitar, which superseded the banjo in jazz rhythm sections, was primarily perceived as a supporting and accompanying instrument rather than a viable vehicle for solo improvisation.

So while the horns basked in the limelight, guitarists had to make do strumming chords and comping in the background.

Introduced in 1931, the hollow-bodied electric guitar was immediately sought-after by guitarists struggling to be heard in the swing era of brass-heavy big bands.

Now, though, not only could their percussive rhythm work be clearly audible in relation to the rest of the ensemble, but the possibility of playing solo passages had also become a tangible reality.

Even so, due to the propulsive nature of big band swing and its emphasis on the interplay of the horns, the best jazz guitarists of the era like the Count Basie bands Freddie Greene, one of the pre-eminent swing-era axe men were rarely granted, or even desired, solo passages.

Enter Django Reinhardt, the revolutionary Belgian gypsy guitarist who made his name playing in smaller ensembles and redefined the role of the guitar in jazz.

His phenomenal fingerboard work was an inspiration to guitarists everywhere and gave rise to a new generation of jazz guitar star: virtuosic soloists as well as solid rhythm section men.

Christians advanced harmonic conception anticipated the development of bebop, which, though a horn-led sonic revolution (its main architects were saxophonist Charlie Parker and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie), nonetheless saved a bit of the spotlight for some of the best jazz guitarists of the 40s and 50s.

Montgomery, like his idol, Charlie Christian, could play single-note lines like a horn player, but also incorporated chords and octaves in his solos.

His jaw-dropping abilities made him seem superhuman and he was soon hailed as one of the best jazz guitarists to have walked the planet.

But one thing that unites them all is their debt to the early pioneers, who took jazz guitar out of the shadows and into the light.

Pizzarellis tasteful guitar work has graced recordings by musicians as diverse as Stephane Grappelli, Rosemary Clooney, and Paul McCartney, earning him a name as one of the best jazz guitarists of his generation.

In the 90s, Brown began his solo career serving up a tasteful amalgam of George Benson -esque melodic lines over chugging, sensual smooth jazz grooves.

Osborne took New York by storm in the 40s but only made a few records under her own name.

Malone takes a more traditional, straight-ahead, bop-tinged approach to jazz guitar, favoring a rich, mellow tone and combining Grant Green-esque horn-like melodies with subtle chord sequences.

Though indebted to her inspirations, Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass, Remler has earned her place among the best jazz guitarists in history thanks to the development of her own style, which combined a languid grace and emotional intelligence with virtuosic fretboard work.

A member of Michael Frantis The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy in the early 90s, he established a solo career soon afterward, spending five years at Blue Note.

Marrying his jazz DNA with funk, RB, rock, and pop elements, Hunter is the author of an unclassifiable sound and style that makes his a unique voice among the worlds best jazz guitarists.

He famously collaborated with hip-hop troupe A Tribe Called Quest and its leader, Q-Tip.

Though he only has four solo albums to his name, Lages reputation is burgeoning, thanks to his skill, imagination, and creation of a sound thats all his own.

Though young, he has the makings of a talent who could move further up the ranks of the worlds best jazz guitarists in the years to come.

Precociously talented, he was mentored by jazz great Yusef Lateef and then played with George Benson before establishing himself as a solo artist in the late 70s.

A tasteful, sensitive musician whose limpid fingerboard filigrees are gracefully rendered, Klughs striking sound is a blend of simplicity and elegance.

Guitar Players From The 90S