Simply put Jon's father, guitarist Jimmy Raney was a genius. But he just doesn't seem to get his just due except among his notable peers who cite him as a major influence. That list includes Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, Grant Green and Pat Metheny among many others. With the exception of one or two well-researched books on guitar and a few jazz critics (such as Ira Gitler) most jazz historians seems to skip right over him or at best give him short mention. Many who know claim that there was and still isn't a better bebop guitarist. But this fact seems largely unknown. In addition to being a jazz guitar pioneer, he studied composing with Hall Overton and learned to play cello. Have you heard of Jimmy's "Suite for Guitar Quintet? If you haven't you should! It's a tour de force work of Jimmy's brilliant improvising and serious composing in the style of Bartok! If you are a student of jazz or just music in general you owe it to yourself to investigate Jimmy's work.

Visit Jamey Aebersolid's  to buy Jimmy Raney's Vol. 20 , vol. 29 and transcribed solos .