Here's a lesson on humor, chord solo jazz, creativity, how to swing a tune, single note solo, blues, block chord solo, all with no special effects, in short, talent. All inside of 6 minutes! He's one of my all time favorites.
Duane Dungee I agree. And no special effects. I do like a chorus or uni vibe for certain things but I play clean now. I used to use overdrive a lot years ago but not anymore. I want to get the sound from my fingers and I want to hear the guitar itself. Great observation.
Like Tarrega and Segovia for classical, Barney, Joe pass, Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery, were the original solo artist for jazz guitar, the piano was invented in 1492 the first standard guitar Spain 1850 so it's a newer instrument, I love the American songs and song book melodies that will live forever
Sometimes I wonder what you guys hear. I hear a heart that is ten times the size of his body. There are so many great technical players with absolutely no soul. If you don't hear Barney then you will never get it.
There's definitely a soulful attack and spontaneous edge to his playing that others of his era lack or repress. I find players like Joe Pass bland in comparison, despite their great skill.
The older I get, the more I prefer this sort of melodic playing - especially when done at this level of sophistication. I had the pleasure of seeing him in the eighties, and he was not only a great musician but seemed a wise, witty, entertaining and uplifting human being.
I believe that this is at Elario's jazz club in La Jolla, Ca. No cover charge, you could be a part of the audience for the price of a drink. Great memories.
One of the best videos I've seen on youtube. I finally decided to transcribe the whole thing and it sure won't be easy (these fast runs will make for a lot of note guessing). I would take Barney over almost any other guitarist anytime. I see people complaining that he was sloppy when playing fast runs - that's a minor sin compared to his overall godlike chord playing technique. Besides the meaning is there and everything fits in it's place. If you have tried his voicings you would know what I mean, his rhythm and swing are impeccable too. So much for the technical part. Words can't describe the musical inventiveness, taste and originality he showcased. A true master and a musical giant.
He was my first jazz guitar idol back in 1969 (because of the pollwinners with shelly mann and ray brown. those were the days...green dolphin str..... :)))
Him and joe pass were jazzmen with a tone of soul swing and mastery of the blues.... but barney kessel intros always slay me... they're so melodically beautiful... if i could learn the chords of the intro to this i be so satisfied
The way I hear it: Dmaj9 (4th pos, A in bass) ... Dmin9 (just move the F# down to F)... Emin7.... A7#5b9 (5th pos).. (repeat).. I kind of figured out my own interpretation of it, but that's the gist.
I can't hear anything suggesting that this is not one of his finest. It's clearly creative, with a lot of colorful voicings.How he does those harmonics with those chords is beyond me; mine don't turn out as sweetly.
right! Those harmonics.....I have tried to make sense of it, and I can only do those same harmonics on the fifth, third, and twelfth frets. But he seems to do it all in the same place on the guitar.....how?
Barney Kessel, uno dei pi?straordinari chitarristi che il jazz abbia mai avuto, ha continuato sulla strada gi?battuta da Charlie Christian, distinguendosi attraverso un modo di suonare particolarmente personale,per esempio nella forma chord melody,divenando il suo marchio creando inesauribili progressioni d’accordi sia in accompagnamento sia durante le improvvisazioni.Tecnica quest’ultima chiamata block chord, usata ancora oggi da grandi chitarristi come,tra gli altri, John Scofield.Ha collaborato con gente del calibro di Lester Young, Artie Shaw, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum Benny Goodman ….
The strap-no strap debate. I found that playing without a strap; as I was first taught, was playing merry Hades with my back. So I took to using a strap. It meant I could sit upright, and access to the finger board was also much easier. Mind you I still can't play like Barney. This is just superb, a song played with so many moods and colours. Great stuff.
Gran versión de este hermoso tema de MY FAIR LADY. Barney Kessel se sitúa entre los principales guitarristas de la historia del jazz. Poseedor de una técnica exquisita, un swing a toda prueba y una fuente inagotable de recursos a la hora de Improvisar. Cinco estrellas.
@bud0070 The single note double time stuff was pretty rough, but I loved everything else. I wish more guys would do the chord melody shout chorus thing like Barney. There are a lot of guys around with more single note chops, but chord melody in time has definitely become a lost art.
Re 'chord-melody' I agree. But unless you are a Joe Pass or a Barney Kessel, there's no call for it. The advice I was given in the 1950s was, learn to be a great rhythm player and you will never be short of gigs. I can't say I am a great rhythm player, but I did get plenty of gigs. Consequently my soloing isn't too hot. As for 'chord-melody'; strictly reserved for my own amusement!
Barney Kessel is my current favorite guitarist. Used to be Johnny Smith. I'm a sax player, but I dabble in jazz guitar & took some lessons from Peter Rogine years back. Rogine was very adamant about playing with a neckstrap. So I got used to playing with a strap & the headstock of the guitar up by my left ear..So when I watch jazz guitarists play without a strap, they look SO uncomfortable, like the guitar is going to fall.. Especially big hollowbodies like the one in this video.. Funny...
Just curious when you do this (assuming you are sitting) do you have the body resting on your left leg, or between your legs? I myself sometimes raise the headstock if I have the guitar between my legs with the lower bout resting on the inner part of the right leg.
The position that you are describing with the headstock up by your left ear sounds like a very unnatural position for you left arm, which would induce a lot of tension in that arm and your wrist. The position Kessel is using is much more natural and relaxed for his left arm.
"J'aimerais continuer en ce moment avec une autre belle chanson intitulée «J'ai jeté une crème dans votre visage» au moins c'est ce qu'une dame pensait qu'elle m'avait entendu dire à un batteur une fois quand j'essayais de lui murmurer discrètement «J'ai grandi accoutumé à son visage"" Ce deux phrase ont une prononciation similaire en anglais.
It's not unnatural, and actually is very comfortable. If you look at many of the jazz guitar greats, they play this way. The strap is taking up the weight, you just bend your elbow a bit. To just have the guitar sprawled across your lap seems precarious-- But hey, Kessel is doing it and he looks pretty comfy, so who's to say? I think it's whatever you're used to.
The drummer missed every opportunity to take into double time, Barney kept trying to set him up but he didn't pick up on the cues. Great playing otherwise
Connor Camron I dunno what you mean man, he hinted at double time a fair amount once Barney started shedding, and towards the end of his solo they go entirely into double time lol
I love Kessel's chord-melody playing and his "normal' fast runs, but I don't like the really fast clusters of notes-- to me they sound sloppy, atonal and distorted, like his mind is working too fast and his fingers are stumbling to keep pace.
