Is a guitar needed in a Jazz Quartet? (read more)...?!
Question:
Is a guitar needed in a Jazz Quartet? (read more)...?
Right, I am currently in a Jazz trio, Piano, Sax and Bass. When the drummer joins it will become a Jazz Quartet. There is a possibilty for a Jazz guitar to be involved in the band. Is it nessacary to have a Guitarist if there is a piano player as well? Will it be a waste of a musician, as the chords will just be doubled....
What do you think? Do you think we should have a guitarist as well?
Answers:
This is a good question! No, a guitarist is NOT NEEDED. But, as another answer states "a good guitarist would make it better." However, not only must the guitarist be VERY GOOD and a true "jazz" man, but the keyboard player and the guitarist have to discover how to stay out of each other's way! This is no easy matter. I had a jazz trio wherein I usually played piano, but often drums and sometimes bass! My brother and I swapped around. It was the best gig EVER! Many times we augmented the group with a guitarist, or had a guitarist sub for the bassist. Let me tell you it is not an easy matter to just play keyboards with a guitarist. I also play guitar so I could communicate well enough with the other musician. But there were only two or three guitarists out of many who I would consider playing with regularly.
To shorten the answer, it can add to the band, but it will take some EXTRA work between the guitarist and the keyboardist! They have to complement each other musically.