Table of Contents
Remembering Barney Kessel (1923-2004), American jazz guitarist.
A self-confessed disciple of the great Charlie Christian, the guitarist, Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923, Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States – May 6, 2004, San Diego, California, United States), was inspired by his music to start a career in magnificent professional.
Known in particular for his knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies, he was a member of many prominent jazz groups as well as a “first call” guitarist for studio, film, and television recording sessions. Barney Kessel was a member of the group of session musicians informally known as the Wrecking Crew.
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His beginnings were in the orchestra of the pianist, Chico Mark in 1943, a musician who alternated directing his big band with being a comedian in theaters and dance halls. He spent the forties playing in different groups and orchestras. Between 1944 and 1945, he was part of Charlie Barnet’s big band, in 1945 he was with Artie Shaw and in the 1950s he was part of Oscar Peterson’s trio (1952-1953).
He recorded about a dozen albums under his name for the Verve and Contemporary labels between 1953 and 1961.
In 1968, Barney Kessel traveled to Europe on tour with the pianist George Wein’s group and in London he recorded several live albums leading his own groups. In 1973, he participated in the “All Stars” concert at the “Great Guitars” meeting with Charlie Byrd and Herb Ellis.
An illness took him away from the stage in the early nineties, when he was already established as one of the great guitarists of the second half of the 20th century, and at the same level as other contemporary guitarists such as Joe Pass or Jim Hall. A brain tumor ended his life on May 4, 2004.
Barney Kessel’s Discography
As leader
Barney Kessel (Contemporary, 1954)
To Swing or Not to Swing (Contemporary, 1955)
Kessel Plays Standards (Contemporary, 1956)
Easy Like (Contemporary, 1956)
Music to Listen to Barney Kessel By (Contemporary, 1957)
The Poll Winners with Shelly Manne, Ray Brown (Contemporary, 1957)
The Poll Winners Ride Again! with Shelly Manne, Ray Brown (Contemporary, 1958)
Modern Jazz Performances from Bizet's Opera Carmen (Contemporary, 1959)
Some Like It Hot (Contemporary, 1959)
Poll Winners Three! with Shelly Manne, Ray Brown (Contemporary, 1960)
Exploring the Scene! with Shelly Manne, Ray Brown (Contemporary, 1960)
Bossa Nova Plus Big Band (Reprise, 1961)
El Tigre with Harold Land (Charlie Parker, 1962)
Let's Cook! (Contemporary, 1962)
Breakfast At Tiffany's (Reprise, 1962)
Barney Kessel's Swingin' Party (Contemporary, 1963)
Contemporary Latin Rhythms (Reprise, 1963)
On Fire (Emerald, 1965)
Kessel's Kit (RCA Victor, 1969)
Reflections in Rome (RCA Victor, 1969)
Hair Is Beautiful (Atlantic, 1969)
Feeling Free (Contemporary, 1969)
What's New... Barney Kessel? (Mercury, 1969)
Guitarra (RCA Camden, 1970)
Swinging Easy! (Black Lion, 1971)
I Remember Django with Stephane Grappelli (Black Lion, 1971)
Limehouse Blues with Stephane Grappelli (Freedom, 1972)
Summertime in Montreux (Black Lion, 1973)
Easy Moments with Carlos Pes (Gemelli, 1973)
Two Way Conversation with Red Mitchell (Sonet, 1974)
Barney (& Friends) Plays Kessel (Concord Jazz, 1975)
Just Friends (Sonet, 1975)
Blue Soul (Black Lion, 1975)
Great Guitars with Charlie Byrd, Herb Ellis (Concord Jazz, 1975)
The Poll Winners: Straight Ahead with Ray Brown, Shelly Manne (Contemporary, 1975)
Poor Butterfly with Herb Ellis (Concord Jazz, 1977)
Soaring (Concord Jazz, 1977)
Live at Sometime (Trio, 1977)
A Tribute to the Great Hollywood Stars with Junko Mine (Trio, 1977)
By Myself (Victor, 1977)
Great Guitars at the Winery with Charlie Byrd, Herb Ellis (Concord Jazz, 1980)
Jellybeans with Bob Maize & Jimmie Smith (Concord Jazz, 1981)
Solo (Concord Jazz, 1983)
Great Guitars at Charlie's Georgetown (Concord Jazz, 1983)
Spontaneous Combustion with Monty Alexander (Contemporary, 1987)
Red Hot and Blues (Contemporary, 1988)
Autumn Leaves (Black Lion, 1989)
Great Guitars Live with Charlie Byrd, Herb Ellis (Concord 2001)
Live at the Jazz Mill 1954 (Modern Harmonic, 2016)
Live at the Jazz Mill 1954 Vol. 2 (Modern Harmonic, 2018)As sideman
With The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys Today! (Capitol Records, 1965)
Pet Sounds (Capitol Records, 1966)With Benny Carter
Alone Together (Norgran, 1955)
Cosmopolite (Norgran, 1956)
Jazz Giant (Contemporary, 1958)
Aspects (United Artists, 1959)With The Coasters
Riot in Cell Block Number 9 (Spark Records, 1954)
One Kiss Led to Another (Atco, 1956)
Down in Mexico (Atco, 1956)
Young Blood (Atco, 1957)
Searchin' (Atco, 1957)With Sam Cooke
Night Beat (RCA Victor, 1963)
Ain't That Good News (RCA, 1964)With Buddy DeFranco
Generalissimo (Verve, 1959)
Live Date (Verve, 1959)
Bravura (Verve, 1959)
Wailers (Verve, 1960)With Harry Edison
Sweets (Clef, 1956)
Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You (Verve, 1957)With Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday Sings (Clef, 1952)
Billie Holiday (Clef, 1953)
Billie Holiday (Clef, 1954)
Billie Holiday at JATP (Clef, 1954)
Music for Torching (Clef, 1956)
Velvet Mood (Clef, 1956)
Lady Sings the Blues (Clef, 1956)
Body and Soul (Verve, 1957)
Songs for Distingué Lovers (Verve, 1957)
All or Nothing at All (Verve, 1958)With Peggy Lee
Things Are Swingin' (Capitol, 1958)
I Like Men! (Capitol, 1959)
Jump for Joy (Capitol, 1959)
Then Was Then – Now Is Now! (Capitol, 1965)With Anita O’Day
This Is Anita (Verve, 1956)
Pick Yourself Up with Anita O'Day (Verve, 1957)
Anita Sings the Winners (Verve, 1958)
Anita O'Day Swings Cole Porter with Billy May (Verve, 1959)
Trav'lin' Light (Verve, 1961)With Oscar Peterson
The Oscar Peterson Quartet (Verve, 1955)
Romance: The Vocal Styling of Oscar Peterson (Verve, 1956)With Shorty Rogers
Martians Come Back! (Atlantic, 1956)
Way Up There (Atlantic, 1957)
Chances Are It Swings (RCA Victor, 1958)
The Wizard of Oz and Other Harold Arlen Songs (RCA Victor, 1959)With Pete Rugolo
Out on a Limb (EmArcy, 1956)
An Adventure in Sound: Reeds in Hi-Fi (Mercury, 1958)
An Adventure in Sound: Brass in Hi-Fi (Mercury, 1958)With Sonny & Cher
Look at Us (Atco Records, 1965)
In Case You're in Love (Atlantic Records, 1967)With others
Georgie Auld, In the Land of Hi-Fi with Georgie Auld and His Orchestra (EmArcy, 1955)
Frankie Avalon, ...And Now About Mr. Avalon (Chancellor, 1961)
Louis Bellson, Skin Deep (Norgran, 1953)
Chet Baker, Albert's House (Beverly Hills, 1969)
Cher, All I Really Want to Do (EMI Records, 1965)
Buddy Collette, Man of Many Parts (Contemporary, 1956)
Sonny Criss, Go Man (Imperial, 1956)
Bobby Day, Rockin' With Robbin (Class, 1959)
Sylvia Telles, Sylvia Telles U.S.A. (Philips, 1961)
Dion DiMucci, Born to Be with You (Collectables, 1975)
Roy Eldridge, Dale's Wail (Clef, 1953)
Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook (Verve, 1956)
Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Criss, Jazz Concert West Coast (Savoy, 1956)
Hampton Hawes, Four! (Contemporary, 1958)
Woody Herman, Songs for Hip Lovers (Verve, 1957)
Milt Jackson, Ballads & Blues (Atlantic, 1956)
Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, The Drum Battle (Verve, 1960)
Julie London, Julie Is Her Name (Liberty, 1955)
Oliver Nelson, Soulful Brass (Impulse!, 1968)
Art Pepper and Zoot Sims, Art 'n' Zoot (Pablo, 1995)
Jane Powell, Can't We Be Friends? (Verve, 1956)
The Righteous Brothers, Back to Back (Philles, 1965)
Sonny Rollins, Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders (Contemporary, 1958)
Chan Romero, Hippy Hippy Shake (Del-Fi 45, 1959)
Evie Sands, Any Way That You Want Me (Rev-Ola, 1970)
Ike & Tina Turner, River Deep – Mountain High (A&M, 1966)
Joe Williams, With Love (Temponic, 1972)The Great Guitars: Barney Kessel, Charlie Byrd and Herb Ellis.
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Three of the all-time greatest jazz guitarists perform their unique skills on the guitar:
Barney Kessel, born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA on October 17, 1923 was known for his chord-based melodies and was a prolific member of the so-called ‘Wrecking Crew’ group of musicians that accompanied and played on records as diverse as The Mamas & Papas, Sonny & Cher and The Beach Boys. He was voted the best guitarist in Down Beat Magazine in 1956, 1957 and 1958 and recorded numerous albums. The Gibson Guitar Corporation introduced the Barney Kessel model guitar in 1961 to honor his skills. Barney died on May 6, 2004.
Herb Ellis was an American guitarist who probably was best known as a member of Oscar Peterson’s Trio in the 1950s. He was born on August 4, 1921, as Mitchell Herbert Ellis. He played with Jimmy Dorsey’s band and played on numerous Verve records supporting jazz giants like Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Herb died on March 20, 2010.
Charlie Byrd was one of America’s greatest guitarists. Born on September 16, 1925, in Suffolk, Virginia, he was strongly influenced by Django Reinhardt’s style and Brazilian bossa nova. He played in Woody Herman’s band in the late 1950s and recorded ‘Jazz Samba’ with Stan Getz. Also, he recorded the famous bossa nova albums with João Gilberto and Antônio Carlos Jobim. Byrd died on December 2, 1999.
The three great guitarists are accompanied by Joe Byrd, Charlie’s brother, on bass and Chuch Redd on drums.
The repertoire included: • “It’s the talk of the town” by Marty Symes, Al J. Nieburg, Jerry Livingston; • “Undecided” by Sid Robin, Charlie Shavers; • “A felicidade” by Vinicius de Moraes, Antonio Carlos Jobim; • “Manha de carnaval” by Antonio Mariz, Luis Bonfá; • “Nuages” by Django Reinhardt; • “Goin’ out of my head” by Teddy Randazzo, Bobby Weinstein; • “Flyin’ home” by Sid Robin, Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman. *”Speak Low” *”Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out.”
The concert was taped on 17 July 1982 in the Congress Gebouw, The Hague, The Netherlands during the North Sea Jazz Festival.