Search - Barney Kessel :: Some Like It Hot

Barney in one of his best sessions

Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 08/31/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'll ask you a simple question ... can you go wrong with a Barney Kessel's album recorded in 1959 with Art pepper, Joe Gordon, Jimmy Rowles, Jack Marshall (rhythm guitar), Monty Budwig and Shelly Manne with a tunes list made of standards and happy originals or traditionals? The answear is just, ... "no". If you answeared "no" you are absolutly right otherwise, ... uhm, rethink about it, read again the question ... and then answear "no". This album presents one of the best enviroment Barney had in his illustrious career. A spectacular list of musicians. This one surely stands among Barney's best albums, his most swinging and happy ones which to me are "Let's cook!", "Four" (an Hampton Hawes album actually), "Easy Like", "To swing or not to swing", "Yesterday" (a Black Lion album), "Standards", "Working out!", some Poll Winners stuff. Among his most recent, "Red, hot and blues". The line up as I said before is incredible, they swing lightly and relaxed, they are a fantastic jazz band, not a bunch of musicians in a recording studio. The track list Barney choose is infectious and delightful. The music is inspired by the Monroe-Curtis-Lemmon movie. This is one of the albums (one of many) why I love Barney Kessel. Essential for jazz guitar enthusiasts, great album for those who love funny Jazz."

Barney Kessel at his Best

Strat Man | Shelton CT | 04/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Always a favorite of mine, Barney Kessel and the others put out the kind of music that made jazz such a phenomenon. Straight-ahead, upbeat, smokin' solos over popular standards. A joy for everyone from musical "technique freaks" to folks who just want to hear some of the best have some serious fun."