I was born in 1939, and raised in Hawai. I started playing guitar when i was 9 years old. Later,In 1953 we moved to southern California. I played country western till about 1958, when I first heard Julie London sing "cry me a river", on her album with one of my hero's Barney Kessel backing her. That changed my life. I ruined two records copying the beautiful guitar that was backing her singing.i spent 6 monthes trying to copy every tune that barney recorded.we all copied Barney.i can hear his chords in Howard roberts,Tal farlow etc.i consider him the most creative jazz guitarist ever.i believe it was Miles Davis who said"first we immitate.then we innovate". in fact i copied so many guitarists that when i play,i dont remember what i copied,or if its me or them.LOL. I played nite clubs 6 nites a week from 1960 to 1983. Then i got burned out,and quit playing guitar altogether for 25 years. I just started back recently. I dont use modes or scales. I dug my theory out of old jazz records that i would copy back in the 1950's.Ive been told i use modes and scales,but im not aware of it. when i improvise, I just think of the melody. I dont think about scales or modes.i just hear the straight melody in my head as i improvise around it. I dont even think about what chord im in. But i know the chords to every tune I play to back up others. It would probably be better if i knew all those modes and scales but im too old to change my ways.when i arrange chord solos,i don't want to see the music or the chords.i just want to know the melody in my head.then i stack notes below the melody that sound good to me.i don't want to be infuenced by the chords on the sheet music.i never write the arrangements down.i don't write out tabs.i'd rather be picking than writing. I use my thumb a lot on my left hand when i play chord solos. some people say its wrong. But there is no way i could make some of these jazz chords without using my thumb. If you play classical guitar, then you should be more strict. Anything goes with jazz. I play music with my ears, and i dont get caught up in how you should hold the guitar etc,etc. to me, its just what sounds good to me. not how I look. I used to drive everybody nuts singing bebop lines.i listened to horn players a lot.in fact i'm a horn player in a guitarists body.
I never married till i was 53 years old. That changed rather quickly when i met marlene. Im very glad i waited!
Back in the 1950's, I would walk into a music store and play a chord solo on "Misty" or "Moonlight in Vermont" and they would offer me a job teaching. Not many people knew those jazz chords back then. Now everybody knows them,and its great to see. I used to think my left hand was holding me back as I struggled. But the right hand is the hardest to solve.
I sure hope you young people keep jazz alive for me till I reincarnate again. LOL
I love youtube and all the wonderful friends i've made.