Barney Rocks!!

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 21 Sep 2008 10:03 am

No other to reason to submit this than just the positive vibes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAgwe8lS ... re=related

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 21 Sep 2008 12:08 pm

Yup - Barney definitely rocks!

There are so many great jazz guitarists - but I'd probably have to say that Barney is my personal favorite. Not saying he's "better" than anybody else or blah blah blah. Just my fave.

He had chops, feel, always swung like crazy, and never forgot where jazz came from - blues.

Chris Bauer · Post by **Chris Bauer** » 21 Sep 2008 7:46 pm

Man I'm glad you mean that Barney!

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 22 Sep 2008 8:52 am

Well, for me, there are no other Barneys!

P Gleespen · Post by **P Gleespen** » 22 Sep 2008 9:34 am

No other Barneys! What about this Barney:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a8TFRheJ3U

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 22 Sep 2008 11:43 am

Nah, I don't smoke, I chew

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 24 Sep 2008 2:19 am

While so many players were trying to sound like a horn Barney really played the guitar like a guitar, using the whole instrument in a complete and musical way. Before Wes Montgomery came along, he was playing innovative chord solos and chordal phrases. His single note stuff was always swinging and so what if it could get a little sloppy, his energy was always there. I love the Poll Winners records but my favorite Barney record is "On Fire". Here's the motherlode of Barney downloads but you didin't hear it from me!

http://www.torrentz.com/7b1c688418de3a5 ... 8a5fbd31e7

This YouTube cut comes from the Vestapol DVD, "Barney Kessel: Rare Performances". Buy it!

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 24 Sep 2008 5:22 am

Positive vibes!

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 24 Sep 2008 5:34 am

Saw him live here in Atlanta playing solo in a small club. Incredible.

My fav recording is Kessel with Julie London "Julie is Her Name". Just bass, guitar and London.

He did not get into the actual physical guitar very much. At one time he had customized the old ES350 he played so much that he put a piece of tape over the Gibson name because he thought it no longer was much of a Gibson!

He had a great rhythm sense and not a lot of folks know how many recording sessions he played on for pop/rock artists while he was in LA.

Great player.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 24 Sep 2008 7:23 am

Kessel tops; Rubble, Fife, and that purple thing no questions.

Awe inspiring player.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 24 Sep 2008 9:17 am

Even more Barney:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IHAMiBdga0

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 24 Sep 2008 9:59 am

Hey Bill, the follow up album for that Julie Is Her Name is just as great, but with Howard Roberts on guitar ( but of course you knew that already

)

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 25 Sep 2008 11:14 am

Jussi Huhtakangas wrote:Hey Bill, the follow up album for that Julie Is Her Name is just as great, but with Howard Roberts on guitar ( but of course you knew that already )

Got that one to Jussi. Both are great! Both players are using the Charlie Christian pickup in their guitars. Beautiful sound.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 26 Sep 2008 5:56 am

Just watched a video on Brian Wilson recording the instrumental "Let's Go Away For Awhile". Kessel is listed as playing slide guitar with a Coke bottle!

Kessel was a steeler!!!

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 26 Sep 2008 7:14 am

I understand Barney was allowed to have only one pick in his pocket.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 26 Sep 2008 9:10 am

Billy Wilson wrote:I understand Barney was allowed to have only one pick in his pocket.

If I were him with just one pick....I would pick Julie London.

Julie 1943

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 26 Sep 2008 9:47 am

Another my all time favorite album with Barney is Dean Martin's Dream With Dean on Reprise-label. Much in the same mood as the Julie London Lp but with a small combo and although Barney is not so much up front on it, it's just so smoo-ooth.

And oh, if you really want to hear how Barney rocks, get a hold of Lew Williams' Imperial rockabilly recordings, Barney rips off some nasty and mean r'n'r licks on'em. I'm happy to say that having backed up Lew a couple of times I can call him a friend and he fondly remembered those sessions.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 26 Sep 2008 1:26 pm

Jussi:

I am guessing that is Barney on Lew's "Cat Talk" and "Don't Mention My Name"? Is he also on "Something I Said"??

Have you guys heard Julie's profane take on "The Man I Love"("what the ---- key are we in!", etc)? It's hysterical considering Julie's image. There is a guitar noodling in the background, but I don't know if it is Barney. I think she finally got through it and it came out on LP in the mid to late 60s.

It pains me to think Jack Webb had his way with her:

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 26 Sep 2008 1:51 pm

Mitch, of Lew's recordings, Barney plays on Somethin' I Said, Bop-Bop-Ba-Doo-Bop, Abracadabra and Centipede. The guitar player on Cat Talk and Don't Mention My Name is either Cecil Luna or Jimmy Rollins, those were recorded in Dallas with Lew's own band. According to BF's discography it's Cecil, but I somehow remember Lew telling me it might have been Jimmy Rollins. Either way, it's some swingin' stuff too.
Here's Lew few year's ago ( and my pathetic attempts of Barney Kessel lick's

):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os8uIl2j ... re=related

And yeah, I've heard that Man I Love by Julie

, I believe it's Al Viola on guitar on that one.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 26 Sep 2008 3:33 pm

Thanks for the info, Jussi.

I liked that clip. Hearing the tone of those old hollow body electric guitars in a rockabilly band makes me wish Leo Fender had stuck with steels rather than Telecasters.

P Gleespen · Post by **P Gleespen** » 27 Sep 2008 11:48 am

Mitch Drumm wrote: Have you guys heard Julie's profane take on "The Man I Love"("what the ---- key are we in!", etc)? It's hysterical considering Julie's image. There is a guitar noodling in the background, but I don't know if it is Barney. I think she finally got through it and it came out on LP in the mid to late 60s.

Here it is on YouTube. WARNING! Don't listen if you are easily offended.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 28 Sep 2008 4:22 am

20+ years ago I bought a couple of Barney Kessel albums that had been recorded in the late 50's I believe. One is The Poll Winners; the other title escapes me. I was amazed to hear him copy a couple of Buddy Emmons' signature C6th licks.

My dad met Barney backstage at one of the first "Original Texas Playboys" reunion concerts in Mustang, OK in 1979. Barney had made a point to be there to hear his original guitar hero, Eldon Shamblin.

John Steele (deceased) · Post by **John Steele (deceased)** » 28 Sep 2008 12:23 pm

In the early 50's Barney was the guitar player with the Oscar Peterson Trio before Herb Ellis, and some of the cuts they produced were hair-raising in their intensity.
One in particular is a live cut of "Tenderly".
Writers have used that cut as the quintessential example of what swing is. Their version of "Swingin' 'till the girls come home" is also stellar.
-John

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 28 Sep 2008 9:59 pm

^Yeah, I have a cd of that Oscar Peterson trio line up backing Lester Young, it swings like crazy.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 3 Oct 2008 11:13 am

It pains me to think Jack Webb had his way with her: