Barney Kessel - The Contemporary Years: Selected Recordings 1953-57 / Ranging across standards and his own compositions, it's a fascinating and enlightening showcase for a great guitarist - Barney Kessel was a jazz guitarist who is widely regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile guitarists of the post-war era, who had a parallel career as one of the most in-demand session men in Hollywood, appearing on dozens of hit records and movie soundtracks. Emerging on the scene at the start of the 1940s he was greatly influenced by Charlie Christian, and became a fixture on bebop sessions through into the 1950s, working with the likes of Charlie Parker and Oscar Peterson and on the Jazz At The Philharmonic shows. This 43-track 2-CD collection comprises selected titles he recorded leading his own bands on albums for the Contemporary label during the middle years of the 1950s. It features tracks culled from his albums "Barney Kesssel", "Barney Kessel Vol. 2", "Easy Like", Barney Kessel Plays Standards", "To Swing Or Not To Swing", "Music To Listen To Barney Kessel By" and "Poll Winners". It includes recordings with Bud Shank, Harry Babasin, Shelly Manne, Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Jimmy Rowles, Al Hendrickson, Andre Previn, Buddy Collette, Ray Brown and other noted musicians who were members of his line-ups for these sessions. Ranging across standards and his own compositions, it's a fascinating and enlightening showcase for a great guitarist best-known for his work with other bands, but is here featured as a leader. Barney Kessel - The Contemporary Years: Selected Recordings 1953-57.

Track List

1. Vicky's Dream
2. Just Squeeze Me
3. Bernardo
4. Tenderly
5. Lullaby Of Birdland
6. Salute To Charlie Christian
7. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
8. On A Slow Boat To China
9. Speak Low
10. A Foggy Day
11. Prelude To A Kiss
12. How Long Has This Been Going On?
13. 64 Bars On Wilshire Boulevard
14. Barney's Blues
15. Happy Feeling
16. Contemporary Blues
17. Louisiana
18. Indiana
19. Moten Swing
20. Embraceable You
21. Midnight Sun
22. Don't Blame Me
23. Jeepers Creepers
24. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
25. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
26. April In Paris
27. Easy Like
28. North Of The Border
29. Fascinating Rhythm
30. Gone With The Wind
31. I Love You
32. Cheerful Little Earful
33. My Reverie
34. Blues For A Playboy
35. Love Is For The Very Young
36. Mountain Greenery
37. Laura
38. Jordu
39. It Could Happen To You
40. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
41. On Green Dolphin Street
42. Minor Mood
43. Nagasaki