Freddie Greene
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Freddie Green is the correct name for this guitar player. The article under Freddie Green is more complete and used his correct name. The source of the name is from any of the many recordings made by Norman Granz for Pablo Records.
Freddie Green was a prominent rhythm guitar player during the swing era of the 1930s. He only played an acoustic guitar. He was part of Count Basie's revolutionary rhythm section.
The style that he championed is still common among jazz rhythm guitarists. Unlike gypsy jazz rhythm guitar that plays on the syncopated rhythm, his style is to play straight quarter notes that follow the chord progression of the song.Since he played an acoustic guitar in a Big Band, he had to strum harder, to project his sound better.
What separated Green from the rest of rhythm guitarists is his perfection of the style. Sevenths, sixths, ninths, and minor chords were all commonly used and beautifully placed. Many of the songs he played complement the rest of the band well, but could stand on their own.
The Count Basie rhythm section was Freddie Green on guitar, Walter Page bass, and Jonah Jones, drums - Basie, when asked why he didn't emphasize his left hand when playing piano in the band answered that he had "the world's greatest rhythm section" to take care of that side of the business. Later, Basie recorded as "Count Basie and the All-American Rhythm Section". (mainly from liner notes to Concord Jazz record CJ10, by Philip Elwood, San Francisco Examiner, 1975).
Green joined Basie in the late 1930s and played unamplified rhythm guitar with him until at least 1979
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