This page is provided to give the beginning blue or jazz enthusiast a starting point to experimentation with these styles of music. When I first started listening to jazz and blues I really didn't know where to look for information on what to listed to or whether or not I would like it. If you are listening to rock or metal music now, then some of the Guitar links below will probably be of interest. The heaviest guitar licks that are closest to rock guitar licks are Roy Buchanan, Steve Morse, Scott Henderson, Albert Collins, Dave Hole and Tinsley Ellis.
      As you can probably tell I lean towards Guitar and Harp Music but no part is equal to the whole. All of the groups listed here will never be a dissapointment and are good starting point for the blues or jazz. When a started out I discovered this great record called Alligator Records and you can find most of the blues artists listed below on their label. You can also pay them a visit on the web www.alligator.com and it's a very cool site with awesome graphics and information or artists, albums, and tour dates.
     Most of the time I listen to hard hitting blues and jazz with some form of killer guitar licks. I sometimes like to lean to more mind-bending jazz and blues such as Spyro Gyra, The Rippingtons, John McLaughlin, David Sanborn, etc. The down-and-out blues are always the classic listening such as John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, John Coltrane, Paul Butterfield and for scorching harp try out James Cotton, Carey Bell, Junior Wells, Charlie Musselwhite, Jerry Portnoy. Killer horns try Roland Kirk, Micheal Brecker, and Jeff Coffin who I just saw live with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and has a new solo album coming out. Bela Fleck who plays awesome banjo riffs that you will never hear anywhere else. There are moments when you would swear that he's playing guitar and the Flecktones supply a killer back to this amazing man. Howard Levy who left the Flecktones a few years back is another Harp player worth giving a listen to. Howard has played harp for lots of other bands in the studio and on tour as well.

Charlie Musslewhite (Haromica)	Albert Collins (Guitar)	Roy Buchanan (Guitar)
Dave Hole (Guitar)	Elvin Bishop (Guitar)	Carey Bell (Harmonica)
Billy Boy Arnold (Harmonica)	William Clarke (Harmonica)	James Cotton (Harmonica)
Junior Wells (Harmonica)	Tinsley Ellis (Guitar)	Buddy Guy (Guitar)
Long John Hunter (Guitar)	Paul Butterfield (Harmonica)	Howlin' Wolf (Harmonica)
Tower of Power (Rompin' Jazz)	The Rippingtons (Cool Jazz)	The Dixie Dregs (Butt Kickin' Jazz)
Steve Morse Band (Guitar)	Gary Moore (Guitar)	Mike Stern (Guitar)
Jerry Portnoy (Harmonica)	Roland Kirk (Saxaphone)	John McLaughlin (Guitar)
Spyro Gyra (Jazz)	Jeff Coffin (Sax & Winwoods)	Micheal Brecker (Tenor Sax)
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers (Blues Band)	Scott Henderson & Tribal Tech (Guitar)	Bela' Fleck and the Flecktones (Banjo)