By 1957, Los Angeles was Shangri-La for many jazz studio musicians. They had settled in the San Fernando Valley north of the city, married, had kids, no longer had to tour, the weather was great, the highways weren't impossible yet and the Pacific Ocean's beaches were waiting. Provided their car started, they were in business for themselves and doing well.
One of the most prolific jazz guitarists in L.A. was Barney Kessel. In the late 1950s, he was recording for Contemporary. The beauty of the label, in addition to the sterling taste and impeccable recording talents of owner Lester Koenig, were the album covers. Many provided a glossy color photo of L.A., when the city was at its West Coast jazz peak. I'm thinking of Shorty Rogers's Wherever the Five Winds Blow, Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section, Lighthouse at Laguna and Hampton Hawes's Four!, to name a few.
Another terrific album is Music to Listen to Barney Kessel By, with a cover photo by William Claxton. Recorded over three different months, largely due to how busy Kessel was as a studio sideman and the availability of everyone else he wanted on the date.
The tracks:
- Cheerful Little Earful (B)
- Makin' Whoopee (A)
- My Reverie (B)
- Blues for a Playboy (B)
- Love Is for the Very Young (C)
- Carioca (B)
- Mountain Greenery (C)
- Indian Summer (C)
- Gone with the Wind (A)
- Laura (C)
- I Love You (A)
- Fascinating Rhythm (A)
The dates and personnel:
(A) August 6, 1956. Buddy Collette (fl,alto-fl,cl), Junie Cobb (oboe,eng-hrn), George Smith (cl), Howard Terry (cl,b-cl,bassoon), Justin Gordon (cl,b-cl), Andre Previn (p), Barney Kessel (g), Buddy Clark (b) and Shelly Manne (d).
(B) October 15, 1956. Ted Nash (fl,cl), Junie Cobb (oboe,eng-hrn), George Smith (cl), Howard Terry (bassoon,cl,b-cl), Justin Gordon (cl,b-cl), Jimmy Rowles (p), Barney Kessel (g), Red Mitchell (b) and Shelly Manne (d).
(C) December 4, 1956. The only change is Claude Williamson (p) replacing Jimmy Rowles.
Here's the complete Music to Listen to Barney Kessel By without ad interruptions...
- Sammy Davis Jr. Sings and Laurindo Almeida Plays, go here.
- Paul Quinichette: Moods, go here.
- Jimmy Forrest: Forrest Fire!, go here.
- Brazilian Jazz Quartet: Coffee and Jazz, go here.
- Art Blakey!!! Jazz Messengers!!!, go here.
- Sidney Bechet/Martial Solal, go here.
- John Carisi: The New Jazz Sound Of "Show Boat," go here.
- The Marty Paich Quartet, Featuring Art Pepper, go here.
- João Gilberto, 1998, go here.
- Bobby Timmons: Soul Time, go here.
- Gerry Mulligan: Jeru, go here.
- Ray Bryant: Alone With the Blues, go here.
- Leon Spencer Jr.: Bad Walking Woman, go here.
- Jimmy McGriff: Step 1, go here.
- Johnny "Hammond" Smith: Breakout, go here.
- Oliver Nelson: Taking Care of Business, go here.
- Quincy Jones: Americans in Paris, go here.
- Sonny Stitt: Tune-Up!, go here.
- Herbie Mann: Yardbird Suite, go here.
- Quincy Jones: Twilight Time, go here.
- Lou Levy Quartet: Jazz in Four Colors, go here.
- Johnny Alf: Rapaz de Bem, go here.
- Hank Mobley: Poppin', go here.
- Barney Kessel: Kessel's Kit, go here.
- Larry Young: Into Somethin', go here.
- Henry Mancini: The Jazz Sound From Peter Gunn, go here.
- Sonny Stitt: Night Crawler, go here.
- Maynard Ferguson: Around the Horn, go here.
- Frank Rosolino: Franky Speaking!, go here.
- Ben Webster: King of the Tenors, go here.
- Kenny Dorham: Una Mas, go here.
- Gigi Gryce: Nica's Tempo, go here.
- Charlie Parker With Strings: The Master Takes, go here.
- The Great Jazz Piano of Phineas Newborn Jr., go here.
- The Complete Chet Baker Sings, go here.
- Shorty Rogers Courts the Count, go here.
- Miles Ahead: Miles Davis +19, go here.
- Kenny Burrell, Jazzmen - Detroit, go here.
- Bill Watrous, In Love Again, go here.
- Gene Ammons, Boss Tenor, go here.
- Roy Eldridge: The Strolling Mr. Eldridge, go here.
- Clifford Brown and Max Roach with Sonny Rollins, go here.
- Fats Navarro: Nostalgia, go here.
- Hank Mobley: Hank Mobley Quintet, go here.
- Sandy Mosse: Relaxin' With..., go here.
- Maynard Ferguson: A Message From Newport, go here.
- Jimmy Raney: Two Jims and Zoot, go here.
- Zoot Sims Plays 4 Altos, go here.
- Jimmy Forrest: Out of the Forrest, go here.
- Jazz Studio 2, From Hollywood, go here.
- Billy Taylor: My Fair Lady Loves Jazz, go here.
- Hank Mobley: Soul Station, go here.
- Sylvia Telles, Lúcio Alves and Roberto Menescal: Bossa Session, go here.
- Horace Silver: The Horace Silver Trio, go here.
- Walter Davis: Davis Cup, go here.
- Wynton Kelly: Kelly at Midnite, go here.
- Jack Sheldon: Jack's Groove, go here.
- Herbie Nichols: Complete Masters, go here.
- Hank Mobley: Hank Mobley Quartet, go here.
- Mundell Lowe: Satan in High Heels, go here.
- Hal McKusick and Art Farmer: Quintet Sessions, go here.
- Os Poligonais: Os Poligonais, go here.
- Buddy Fite: Tasty, go here.
- Al Sears: Swing's the Thing, go here.
- A.K. Salim: Complete Savoy Recordings, go here.
- Rosinha de Valença, go here.
- Remo Rau, Evening at Cafe Africana, go here.
- Georgie Auld, Plays the Winners, go here.
- Complete Oscar Pettiford Orchestra, go here.
- East Coast - West Coast Scene, go here.
- O'Donel Levy: Black Velvet, go here.
- Sonny Rollins: Alfie, go here.
