Kessel Plays Standards

One of the first of the modern jazz guitarists to follow in the wake of Charlie Christian, Barney Kessel became a prolific recording artist for Contemporary in a series of dates which are noteworthy for their variety as well as their excellence. By using different instruments with the guitar, Kessel was able to make each recording session an entity unto itself. Here it is Bob Cooper's oboe and tenor saxophone that added the other colors to Barney's combination of harmonic sophistication and Oklahoma twang. When that inherent blues sensibility is applied to great material from the American Songbook, it is an unbeatable combination. Barney Kessel, Bob Cooper, Hampton Hawes, Claude Williamson, Monty Budwig, Red Mitchell, Shelly Manne, Chuck Thompson. Track listing: Speak Low, Love Is Here to Stay, on a Slow Boat to China, How Long Has This Been Going On?, My Old Flame, Jeepers Creepers, Barney's Blues, Prelude to a Kiss, a Foggy Day, You Stepped Out of a Dream, I Didn't Know What Time It Was, 64 Bars on Wilshire.