Final answer:
Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery were the guitarists who brought the sound of rock guitar into the jazz idiom, blending elements of blues, gospel, and R&B with jazz.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two guitarists responsible for bringing the sound of rock guitar into the jazz idiom were Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery. Christian, playing with the Benny Goodman Sextet, innovated with the electric guitar in the late 1930s and early 1940s. His solos combined elements of swing and blues, which laid the groundwork for future rock and jazz fusion. Wes Montgomery, active in the 1950s and 1960s, further developed the use of the guitar in jazz. His complex chord melodies and solos utilized a thumb-picking technique and drew from blues, gospel, and R&B, which are foundational elements of rock and roll.
These extraordinary guitarists contributed significantly to the merging of genres, bringing forth a unique infusion of rock and roll's energy and aesthetic into jazz music. Their mastery of the electric guitar elevated its status within jazz ensembles, creating a pathway for rock influences to permeate jazz compositions and performance. Hence, Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery were instrumental in the cross-pollination of rock guitar sounds within the realm of jazz.