I met him years ago and shook his hand. As a guitar player it was utterly humbling, but after complimenting him I found him both gracious and incredibly funny.
Barney was the best jazz guitarist of his time. He won countless polls (ie Down Beat, Playboy etc). He settled in LA and was the guitarist with the Tonight Show, the Steve Allen Show orchestras and other TV broadcasts. I saw him perform at a club in LA in 1964 and he was fantastic. My friend and I were both young professional musicians and he joined us at our table on a couple of breaks and he couldn't have been nicer.
It's funny how jazz guitar is thought of as a 60s/70s kinda thing despite the fact that a lot of it was playing stuff that was big a few decades prior (from 30s through to the hard bop era, late 50s let's say).
The guitar world lost something very special when this man died. He was instrumental in some of the greatest popular recordings in history. Kessel could play along to pretty much anything. Hell, the first thing you hear on "Pet Sounds" is him playing the intro. That speaks volumes in itself.
Yes. For many years I assumed the gorgeous intro to "Wouldn't It Be Nice" was played on a harp(s). I was floored to see a photo of Kessel playing it on a hybrid mandolin-guitar. He also played a brief slide guitar part in "Let's Get Away For Awhile", the instrumental on side one.
I don't know how many fantastic versions I have heard of this great song by many great Guitar and Piano players ( and others too . ) but this is my absolute favourite . Barney Kessel makes such an incredible four minutes and thirty one seconds that I have to listen and listen again. Beautiful on every note . Thank you Barney, I am your eternal student.
When James Best (character Jim Lindsey) in season 1 of the andy Griffith show plays guitar on 2 episodes, that was Barney Kessel actually playing the the music.
His interviews in 'Guitar' magazine [UK] from '72 and '76 are packed with amazing wisdom and ideas that still come back to me all the time - to this day.
I heard him play a trio gig in Minneapolis in the mid 80's. After the show he sat backstage with a group of us fans and he talked about music for about an hour, pulling out his guitar to demonstrate some things...mentioned how he wanted his guitar to sound like Count Basie's orchestra when he played chords. Great player and a really nice guy.
Someone as good as Barney is best when he's unaccompanied. I saw him a couple of times at Charlie Byrd's Showboat with Charlie and Herb Ellis. What a great threesome! I miss them.
I’ve just gotten back to guitar after not playing for 5 years (I just had my first lesson last week) and Barney Kessel is one of my musical heroes. One of my goals is to learn how to play jazz guitar just like him!
Four Owls really! I believe Glen Campbell played on about 600 records that were made in the 50’s and 60’s. He played on Strangers in the Night, Johnny Angel, Good Vibrations and just about all of the Beach Boy records. That why Brian Wilson asked him to perform with the group when Brian had a nervous breakdown, hell, he knew all the music, he’s the one who played it when the recordings were made...
The "Rare Performance" dvd contains a 1987 interview in which Barney talks about his guitar. Built in 1946, it has a 1939 pickup constructed with high quality cobalt & copper. The bridge was specially made to violin standards. The unusual volume/tone controls came from an old record player and gave him better visuals than later controls which could reflect off lighting. The dvd has an excellent booklet. Worth a buy for anyone interested in the technique and versatily of one of the finest.
My favorite all time guitarist, particularly those haunting melodies with Julie London. As previously stated, watching Barney is just like watching Frank Vignola and having an uncontrollable urge to throw one's guitar into the nearest lake!
Just saw Frank! 1) I thought his phrasing was so refreshingly unique. Except maybe it sounded like Barney Kessel. ;) 2) Made me want to practice actually!
He has to be the greatest jazz guitarist of all time. I bought many of he's albums in my younger years. Still play them today. The David Gilmour of jazz.
You’re right, that does look plenty low. It’s also interesting to see how committed he was to the plectrum. He never uses any of the fingers on his right hand to play a note. By modern standards it’s a primitive technique. But hey, he got the job done and then some!
Thanks for the dvd confirmation. I have immediately ordered it from Amazon. Totally agree that this is a really fine example of Barney's style - sensitive, swing and unbelievable technique. Has been a favourite of mine since his early recordings with Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five. I've spent a couple of hours listening to other postings of his work after seeing this. Terrific upload. Thanks.
Make a point of getting hold of his series 'The Poll Winners' with Ray Brown on Bass and Shelly Manne on drums. These boys were telepathic between themselves. The main series dates from 1958-61', and another get-together 'Straight Ahead' recorded in 1975. Mind-blowing for guitarists.
Saw him live at Doubletree in Tucson, He was definitely a Professor's Professor, such talent and ability ti improvise with chord melodies and blistering solos.
@Readymover I also saw Barney at Scott's Club in 1968...saw him again a year later at Ronnies during the' Jazz Expo Festival. He was with Kenny Burrell & Grant Green. This film is absolutely wonderful.
Thanx so much 4 posting.. I never realized how incredible the man played....Unreal.... well ;I have to go now ,so I can give away all my guitars to anyone who wants them.........DALLAS
Back in the mid seventies Mr Kessel played a gig at Fat Tuesdays in NYC , I was a teenager studying guitar with The great Joe Monk ..and he was there along with a who's who of jazz guitar players from NYC and Long Island. Anyway, kessel blew the roof off the place and
absolute perfect! Magic. I have been working on this for years, and by the time I am 55 maybe I will be close to finishing it. I have the first half figured out, but the last 2 minutes, my God....good luck to any guitar player trying to figure out those amazing runs.
He read the Mickey Baker guitar book, but hey don't forget jim Hall, Charlie Byrd, and Wes Montgomery, Thanks for putting this up that kessel single cutaway sounds great but it's all in the fingers and Barney's were very precious.
Thanks for posting this, I have never seen a video that shows that much of his chording. Totally awesome! Barney is my favorite. Grant Green is real close though.
Thanks for the fine video, and thanks to Norman Goudie & Peter Lapper for their comments that the bass player is Ron Mathewson. Who is the drummer? He’s on camera @ 3:14 [when the camera should have been on Barney cookin’ away]. The DVD this piece was taken from, Barney Kessel - Rare Performances, is available from the producer, Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop, where they have a “Download PDF Booklet” button. The info about this track is sparse, but the booklet is mostly a bio of Barney - great stuff. Only once did I have the pleasure of hearing Barney live, sitting in with the Mercer Ellington band at a Tribute To The Duke. Kenny Burrell was also on the date, standing & listening to Barney take a great solo. Barney was sitting down, hidden behind other musicians, and his solo seemed to emanate from out of the ether. The crowd went wild, Barney just sat there, and Kenny actually took Barney’s applause! Mofo! Now I know Kenny Burrell is a fine guitar player, but he’s something of a jiveass too. Just saying.
You know I think the arrangement is what really puts this over the top. Don't get me wrong, he plays incredibly, but it's really really nice to have the song arranged beyond a 4 bar intro and 10 solo choruses with a 4 bar outro. just my humble opinion
Having listened to and studied most or all of the famous jazz and jazz-blues guitarists I must say that Kessel is the best all-round . His timing, phrasing and use of chord-melody is unsurpassed even by other greats such as Joe P. Kessel's 'listenability'' is tops. What a great loss when he died. He improved all his life.
+Kevin Webb Interesting perspective. I always assumed Joe was king in this arena. Why do you say Kessel surpasses him? And what about someone like Martin Taylor? Anyway, what would you say is essential listening for Kessel's chord-melody work? (other than this gem :)
Kevin Webb keep studying junior , maybe someday you'll grow outa that bullony childish nonsense attitude that somebody's "best" , besides that , I'm the best !
@agellerv From what I know, It's a modified es350 with a charlie christian pickup with a notch on the b string. Fretboard was replaced with a dotted ebony board. The pickup was first placed right next to the fretboard but he pushed it back a bit. If you look at Kessel's early footages, you can see what I mean. The headstock was refinished to hide "Gibson" logo because he had a feud with the company. Kessel often taped the logo prior to the refinish.
