Jazz guitar connoisseurs won't believe we call these guitarists 'unheard of' but many guitar buffs today believe it all began with Jimi Hendrix so this splendid series will set the record straight!  When GGYNHO began, many of these greats were still alive so drafts of Vol. 1 were vetted by Ivor Mairants, Ike Isaacs, Tony Gattuso & Harry Volpe, Vol. 2 by Art Ryerson & Steve Jordan.  Herb Ellis added to Vol. 5, Joe Pass & and John Collins approved the lot.  

As the creative concepts of Bebop became refined and absorbed into the main-stream of jazz, jazz guitar came into its own.  During this most fruitful period, (before the emergence of Rock blew it out of the water) the instrument and its leading practitioners created sounds of unprecedented beauty.

Review from: Jazz Guitar Society of Western Australia newsletter

The six parts are divided into different eras of jazz guitar and bring to light many underrated and obscure players who were pioneers of their era but who never got the recognition that their better?known peers did. The series includes many historical and rare recordings with excellent sound quality. Bruce Clarke who put the series together has great knowledge of these players and his comments are both educational and entertaining... This series is one of the best anthologies of jazz guitar I have heard, made even more interesting by Bruce Clarke's narration. A worthwhile series, not only for the jazz guitar fan, but an indispensable tool for Educational institutions. I. M.

Review from: Classic Jazz Guitar

Just when we thought we had seen all the interesting collections of guitar music from the great early guitarists, we heard from Bruce Clarke. Bruce is a jazz guitarist and jazz guitar educator in Melbourne, Australia. Bruce has created one the best surveys of classic jazz guitar we have ever seen or heard. This six CD collection covers guitarists from every period from 1915 – 1962. Volume 3 contains examples of electric jazz guitar from Bobby Nichols to Bill DeArango and just about everyone in between who was taking up the electric guitar in 1934 – 1944.
Mike Kremer

I received 'Joe Pass at the Guitar Workshop' and the 6 vol CD set of 'The Greatest Guitarists You've Never Heard Of!' They are truly remarkable. I haven't been able to stop playing them. They have answered a lot of my questions and surprised me in many other areas. The pristine examples used to represent each artist at his best are, just that. None of the recordings I have of some of these unknown giants comes close to the examples you have obtained to demonstrate their undisputable mastery of their craft.

I thank you also for 'Soft Winds' - it was wonderful to hear you and George Golla complimenting each other on all those wonderful arrangements. The Guitar Workshop Promo CD - I've concluded - is as good, if not better, than any such program offered on the North American Continent. Many, many thanks again Bruce, thank God for inspirational, unselfish, musicians and teachers such as you!
Keith Wells, Guitarist, Music Educator, Toronto, Canada

Hi Bruce, The 6 CDs are such a wonderful resource that I'm amazed they are not more well known. Up to now the best I had come across were the the Proper Records box set and the History of Jazz Guitar 2 CD set but of course there's no comparison...

The introduction and background info. on each artist, selection of their work and overall sound quality of the pieces included are superb and the fact that you have managed to break the programs down into discrete audio tracks on the CD makes the work even more invaluable... Even apart from your career as musician and teacher, Bruce, this work is a major contribution to the world of jazz guitar. So, my congratulations and thanks.
Bill Williams, Music Educator, Lisboa, Portugal.

I loved your "down under" perspective on the jazz guitar scene. We Americans tend to focus on our own performers at the expense of many other fine players out there. If I hadn't been looking, I'd have never discovered players like Martin Taylor, Ike Isaacs, Heiner Franz, Louis Stewart, and, of course, you. Your collections have unearthed so many gems...I'm nearly speechless. I'd just like to thank you once again for putting together such a wonderful collection of tunes and performers.
Larry Grinnell, Florida, USA

I am listening to The Greatest Guitarists You've Never Heard Of as I write this. Really puts its all in perspective. Thanks again Bruce,
John Kuntz, FL, USA

Bruce, My CDs arrived yesterday. Wonderful stuff. Thanks very much, both for the CD's themselves, and for the restoration work that has obviously been done on the vintage material. Thanks also for the sampler - I suspect I will be buying more soon. All the best.
Steve Willcox, ACT, Australia

"Enjoyed the CDs immensely, their clarity is amazing. It is the first chance I have had to fully appreciate John Collins. The approach and clarity are amazing. This is the first chance I've had to appreciate some of the 'forgotten heroes' such as John Collins, Len Williams and Thumbs Carlyle. You have a right to be proud of what you’ve achieved, it is more than a life’s work!"
Ermo Veldeman (aka Jan Gold), jazz guitarist, NSW, Australia

Past Reviews from other Great Guitarists we HAVE heard of:

"The CDs are great. I haven't thought of, or heard of many of the guitarists you've featured - for a long time - and truly haven't heard many of the records. Their certainly were some very great players. You commentary is very interesting, educational and I enjoyed and appreciated the humor"
Al Hendricksen, ex- L.A. studio guitar legend

"Got the CDs of "The Greatest Guitarist" set -- It’s like a book in itself.... Just great. But then all your stuff is!"
Steve Jordan, jazz guitar Legend, Virginia, USA

"I loved the whole set. A magical story told with craft and humor"
Ivor Mairants - British guitar & music authority, London, England

"Bruce, to my ears you have created a classic! The whole set should be in the Smithsonian Institute!"
Art Ryerson, New York studio guitar legend, Florida, USA

"You’ve got me practicing again!"
John Collins, jazz guitar giant, California, US