With just the catalogs of Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian and Eddie Lang making up the truly unique early guitarists in the jazz idiom, exposure to other players sitting in the same general style is always welcome. Of course, a bit further on down the line, the genre gifted listeners with Wes Montgomery, George Benson and Grant Green – each function in relation to pop musics a bit differently. And while guitar jazz continues to morph into new, unexpected branches, looking back at a few earlier players should go along way towards expanding perceptions of what the progression of styles actually sounded like.

Issued in 1979 by the incomparable Yazoo imprint, Fun On the Frets: Early Jazz Guitar attempts to initiate listeners to Carl Kress’ work more so than the other players represented here. Accounting for his abundance of tracks here, it should be figured that Kress recorded more than the rest of his cohort. And while that might be construed as confirmation of his guitar prowess, it’s George Van Eps that winds up being a the standout player here.

George Van Eps:

Recorded in 1949, the scant few tracks included by Van Eps easily eclipse the rest of the compilation based solely upon the fact that this musician concerned himself with rhythm as much as anything else.

“Kay's Fantasy” opens with a little guitar strutting in a chorded manner, its lopping ideal, though, quickly moves towards more traditional territory. And while the odd meter isn’t revisited (exactly), the song pushes the notion of what a guitarist is supposed to be doing in a setting like this. The fact that Van Eps, whose father was a banjo player, envisioned and played a guitar with an extended neck and an extra string explains the brief oddity which opens this track.

Tony Mottola:

Paired with Kress for all of his performances here, it’s difficult to properly figure Mottola, whose obviously beholden to the better known player. Of course, the fact that he’s able to keep pace with Kress hints at the supreme talent this gentleman toted around.

Carl Kress:

While Fun On the Frets: Early Jazz Guitar focuses on styles of guitar jazz focused on chorded progressions, Kress when accompanied by another player is often found running through odd series of notes that were most likely perceived to be a bit odd during his heyday. It doesn’t boarder on the avant-garde, but is unquestionably detached from popular songs.