Barney Kessel – The Essential Albums 1955-1963 – 4CD

Born October 23 1923, Barney Kessel was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. 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 premier group of session musicians during the 1960s, informally known as the Wrecking Crew. • This collection features eight original Barney Kessel albums on which he performed as leader, or as part of the trio, The Poll Winners. Originally released between 1955 and 1963, and here presented in delightful, digitally remastered quality, this fine selection, which includes the finest works this maverick musician ever recorded, acts equally as a superb starting point to this great man’s music, and as a welcome reminder for those ready versed.

Track Listing:

CD1:
1. Begin The Blues - 4:28   2. Louisiana - 3:56   3. Happy Feeling - 3:57   4. Embraceable You - 3:24   5. Wail Street - 4:25   6. Indiana - 3:13   7. Moten Swing - 3:58   8. Midnight Sun - 4:09   9. Contemporary Blues - 4:09   10. Don’t Blame Me - 2:58   11. 12th Street Rag - 2:59   12. Easy Like - 4:04   13. Tenderly - 3:16   14. Lullaby Of Birdland - 3:09   15. What Is There To Say? - 3:35   16. Bernardo - 2:37   17. Vicky’s Dream - 2:53   18. Salute to Christian - 3:18   19. That’s All - 4:11   20. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart - 3:40 21. Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don’t Tease Me) - 3:00   22. April In Paris - 2:46   23. North Of The Border - 2:45

CD2:
1. Cheerful Little Earful - 3:29   2. Makin’ Whoopee - 3:22   3. My Reverie - 2:35   4. Blues For A Playboy - 4:03   5. Love Is For The Very Young - 2:30   6. Carioca - 4:36   7. Mountain Greenery - 3:50   8. Indian Summer - 5:03   9. Gone With The Wind - 2:47 -   10. Laura - 3:26   11. I Love You - 3:32   12. Fascinating Rhythm - 2:30   13. Swingin’ The Toreador - 5:52   14. A Pad On The Edge Of Town - 6:46   15. If You Dig Me - 4:04   16. Free As A Bird - 5:00   17. Viva El Toro! - 3:15   18. Flowersville - 6:00   19. Carmen’s Cool - 4:43   20. Like, There’s No Place Like… - 3:59

CD3:
1. Some Like It Hot - 4:21   2. I Wanna Be Loved By You - 3:43   3. Stairway To The Stars -3:19   4. Sweet Sue - 4:46   5. Runnin’ Wild - 3:23   6. Sweet Georgia Brown - 3:44   7. Down Among The Sheltering Palms - 4:06   8. Sugar Blues - 3:29   9. I’m Thru With Love - 3:19   10. By The Beautiful Sea - 3:12   11. Little Susie - 3:56   12. The Duke - 4:54   13. So What - 5:28   14. Misty - 3:27   15. Doodlin’ - 3:33   16. The Golden Striker - 3:22   17. Li’l Darlin’ - 5:29   18. The Blessing - 4:49   19. This Here - 6:36

CD4:
1. Let’s Cook - 11:21   2. Time Remembered - 4:21   3. Just In Time - 5:00   4. Tiger Rag - 9:17   5. Jersey Bounce - 9:33   6. Bluesology - 9:15   7. Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?) - 4:51   8. Joy Spring - 6:50   9. Now’s The Time - 8:17   10. Miss Memphis - 6:27   11. New Rhumba - 7:14