ENDEIT
Barney Kessel
Photo: vernon.hyde, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Guitarists · 1923–2004

Barney Kessel

American jazz guitarist (1923–2004)

Born
17 October 1923
Muskogee
Died
6 May 2004
San Diego
Country
United States
Active
1937–
Record labels
Columbia Records, Concord Records, Mercury Records, RCA Victor, Contemporary Records
Discography
37 albums

Biography

Barney Kessel was a jazz musician who played guitar. Barney Kessel was born on 17 October 1923 in Muskogee and died on 6 May 2004 in San Diego. The music is usually filed under jazz and Gypsy jazz. Record labels: Columbia Records, Concord Records, Mercury Records and RCA Victor. The discography here lists 37 albums, from “Barney Kessel” (1954) to “Live At The Jazz Mill 1954, Vol. 2” (2018). Honours include Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (1999).

Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist. 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. Kessel was a member of the group of session musicians informally known as the Wrecking Crew.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Discography

Studio and live albums

Barney Kessel 1954
Kessel Plays Standards 1954
Barney Kessel, Volume 3: "To Swing or Not to Swing" 1955
Barney Kessel, Volume 1: Easy Like 1956
Music to Listen to Barney Kessel By 1957
El Tigre 1958
Modern Jazz Performances From Bizet's Carmen 1959
Some Like It Hot 1959
Let's Cook! 1962
Contemporary Latin Rhythms 1963
On Fire 1965
Feeling Free 1969
Hair Is Beautiful 1969
Reflections in Rome 1969
What's New... Barney Kessel? 1969
Kessel's Kit 1970
Swinging Easy! 1971
Summertime in Montreux 1973 · Live
Two Way Conversation 1974
Just Friends 1975
Live at Sometime 1977 · Live
Poor Butterfly 1977
Shiny Stockings 1977
Barney Kessel's Swingin' Party at Contemporary 1978
Solo 1983
In Concert 1985
Red Hot and Blues 1988
Barney Kessel & Friends 1990
Spontaneous Combustion 1991
Soaring 1992
Autumn Leaves 2000
Yesterday 2003 · Live
Blue Guitar 2004
Barney Kessel: Live at the Jazz Mill 1954 2017
Live At The Jazz Mill 1954, Vol. 2 2018
Barney Kessel In Concert · Live
To Swing or Not to Swing / Blue Soul

Also plays on

Albums where Barney Kessel is credited as a sideman

1952 Billie Holiday Sings — Billie Holiday guitar, electric guitar
1952 Solitude — Billie Holiday guitar, electric guitar
1953 The Astaire Story — Fred Astaire guitar, electric guitar
1953 Oscar Peterson Plays George Gershwin — Oscar Peterson guitar
1953 Oscar Peterson Plays Cole Porter — Oscar Peterson guitar
1953 Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington — Oscar Peterson guitar
1954 Billie Holiday — Billie Holiday electric guitar, guitar
1954 Recital by Oscar Peterson — Oscar Peterson guitar
1955 Music for Torching — Billie Holiday electric guitar, guitar
1956 Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings — Bing Crosby & Buddy Bregman guitar
1956 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book — Ella Fitzgerald guitar
1956 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book — Ella Fitzgerald guitar
1956 Lady Sings the Blues — Billie Holiday guitar
1957 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book — Ella Fitzgerald guitar
1957 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book, Volume 2 — Ella Fitzgerald guitar
1957 Body and Soul — Billie Holiday guitar
1958 Songs for Distingué Lovers — Billie Holiday guitar, electric guitar
1959 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book — Ella Fitzgerald guitar
1959 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Gershwin Song Book, Volume 1 — Ella Fitzgerald guitar
1959 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Gershwin Song Book, Vol. 2 — Ella Fitzgerald guitar
1959 All or Nothing at All — Billie Holiday guitar, electric guitar
1993 I Love Paris — Ella Fitzgerald guitar
2007 Sings Cole Porter — Ella Fitzgerald guitar
— The Irving Berlin Songbook — Fred Astaire guitar

Standards written by Barney Kessel

TitleKeyFormGroove
Here's That Sunny Day A major AABA · 72 Bossa nova

Awards

Historic 78 rpm records

  • SUGAR (THAT SUGAR BABY O'MINE) WINGY MANONE'S ORCH. · Wingy Manone · Nick Fatool · Stanley… archive.org ↗
  • NOBODY KNOWS THE TROUBLE I'VE SEEN CHARLIE VENTURO & HIS SEXTET · Charlie Venturo · Willie Smith · Red… · 1945 archive.org ↗
  • WHO'S SORRY NOW CHARLIE VENTURO & HIS SEXTET · Charlie Venturo · Willie Smith · Red… · 1945 archive.org ↗
  • S'WONDERFUL CHARLIE VENTURO & HIS SEXTET · Charlie Venturo · Willie Smith · Red… · 1945 archive.org ↗
  • Jazz Gems Vol. I Red Callender · Barney Kessell · Nick Fatool · Barney Bigard · Milt… · 1946 archive.org ↗
  • Atom Buster Barney Kessel's Allstars · Kessel · Barney Kessel · Dodo Marmarosa ·… · 1946 archive.org ↗
  • SUGAR (THAT SUGAR BABY O'MINE) WINGY MANONE'S ORCHESTRA · Wingy Manone · Nick Fatool · Stanley… · 1946 archive.org ↗
  • BLACK MARKET BLUES WINGY MANONE'S ORCH. · Wingy Manone · Nick Fatool · Stanley… · 1946 archive.org ↗

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Barney Kessel play?

Barney Kessel is known for playing guitar.

When and where was Barney Kessel born?

Barney Kessel was born 17 October 1923 in Muskogee.

What are Barney Kessel's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Barney Kessel (1954), Kessel Plays Standards (1954), Barney Kessel, Volume 3: "To Swing or Not to Swing" (1955), Barney Kessel, Volume 1: Easy Like (1956) and Music to Listen to Barney Kessel By (1957).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.