Kenny Burrell - Introducing Kenny Burrell: The First Blue Note Sessions

The Detroit-born Kenny Burrell reigns as the dean of jazz guitarists. He's combined Charlie Christian's prebop fluency, Django Reinhardt's Old World touches, and the rhythmic drive of Nat King Cole's guitarist, Oscar Moore. This two-CD set contains Burrell's earliest Blue Note sessions from 1956. The first seven tracks, with drummer Kenny Clarke, bassist Paul Chambers, pianist Tommy Flanagan, and percussionist Candido Camero were released as Introducing Kenny Burrell.

It's a pleasing and swinging potpourri of Latin-tinged numbers and ballads such as "Weaver of Dreams," "This Time the Dream's on Me," and "Takeela" (read: Tequila). Burrell's nifty "Fugue 'n the Blues" is a Bach-meets-bop excursion worthy of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Tracks 8 and 9 are from Kenny Burrell Volume Two, and feature the guitarist's lightning-licked take on "Get Happy" and a succulent solo rendition of George Gershwin's "But Not for Me."

Those sessions continue on Disc 2 with Shadow Wilson and Oscar Pettiford taking over the drum and the bass with Frank Foster on tenor saxophone, and they remake classics such as Count Basie's "Moten Swing." Another date, Swingin', with Hank Mobley, Horace Silver, Doug Watkins, and Louis Hayes, finds Burrell and company in superb form on Lester Young's "D.B. Blues" and Silver's "Nica's Dream." On all of those sides, Burrell's blues-based guitar sounds as modern today as it did in the '50s. --Eugene Holley Jr. Amazon.com

3 LPs on 2 CDs

This 2-CD set collects 3 early Kenny Burrell LPs, one of which was only issued in Japan. The original INTRODUCING is here, and features Kenny with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers (b), Kenny Clarke (d) and Cabdido (cga). TAKEELA is the definite highlight of that date - a fantastic tune taken up tempo with Candido's congas the icing on the cake. VOLUME 2 is the second LP and adds Frank Foster on tenor sax with Flanagan, Oscar Pettiford (b) and Shadow Wilson (d). Flanagan is a magnificent player on both albums. CHEETA is the highlight on VOLUME 2. The third LP is K.B. BLUES, out on LP in Japan only, and overall might be the best of the 3 LPs. Hank Mobley (ts) Horace Silver (p) Doug Watkins (b) and Louis Hayes (d) join Burrell, and the results are excellent. Three of the 5 tunes are alternates of each other and are each 12-bar blues with an 8-bar bridge. The playing is solid by everyone (this was Silver's working unit at the time, minus Burrell, which probably explains the terrific interplay achieved). Burrell's beautiful tone and exceptional swing are evident throughout. Highly recommended. April 24, 2005

Essential Jazz Guitar!

At long last these early recordings have made it to CD! Three of the songs here are on the Best of Kenny Burrell, this was my first hint on how good these early days were. I like how Kenny uses chords , octaves and single line notes to build his melodies. His tone is what i find so appealing, clean, warm and just short of distortion. (distorting only when he really leans into it) These recordings are all from 1956 era, so mono is the way it goes. Every song speaks to me on this CD, except "Rythmorama" (a 6 minute drum duo solo)

On the song, "Now see how you are" the slow tempo and emotional impact is quite spendid. I can even play along on my own guitar on the main theme. In fact if you play guitar at all, this recording is a great one to learn and play along with. If you can only get one Burrell CD, this is the one to buy! This CD should have wide appeal to any interested in the jazz scene in the mid-50's.

Other Burrell CD's to get are: Blue Lights, 5 Spot

and Midnight Blue. June 29, 2000

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