Modal Pentatonics
ABILITY RATING
Every guitarist knows that the Minor Pentatonic scale is hugely important in blues, rock, funk, soul and reggae. But we sometimes overlook the potential of this five-note marvel in jazz. Of course, there are a whole host of jazz guitarists that cross over into the blues idiom with great freedom and flair; classic players such as Kenny Burrell, Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel and even George Benson can get deep down and bluesy when the mood takes them. Likewise, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather and BB King come at things from a more blues perspective but add a jazzy sophistication whenever they choose to go ‘uptown’.
While these are incredibly significant and influential benchmark players, what we’re interested in here are the progressive improvisers that approach Pentatonics from a different perspective entirely. Players such as tenor saxophonist John Coltrane,
