Barney Kessel - The Essential Albums 1955-1963

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. Kessel began his career as a teenager touring with local dance bands. When he was 16, he started playing with the Oklahoma A&M band, Hal Price & the Varsitonians. The band members nicknamed him "Fruitcake" because he practiced up to 16 hours a day. 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.