Saturday's Child - A New Guitar

There's a happy kid.

The Profile (more than you really wanted to know)is HERE.

Lost Gallery The rescue mission for battered and abused orphan photographs.

Still the most popular page on this blog. The Subway Collection

Barney Kessel. He's from around here...

This is Charlie Byrd, Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis on stage in Oklahoma City as the Great Guitars, a concert around 1980. And that they were. Happy Birthday Barney! And thanks. Excerpt from Wikipedia: Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. He began his career as a teenager touring with local dance bands before moving on to bands such as that led by Chico Marx. He quickly established himself as a key post-Charlie Christian jazz guitarist. In 1944 he participated in the Lester Young film "Jammin' the Blues" and in 1947 he recorded with Charlie Parker's New Stars on the "Relaxin' at Camarillo" session for Dial Records. Barney Kessel is known for his innovative work in the guitar trio setting. In the 1950s, he made a series of albums called "The Poll Winners" with Ray Brown on bass and Shelly Manne on drums. He was also responsible for the prominent guitar on Julie London's definitive recording of "Cry Me a River". Also from the 50s, his three "Kessell Plays Standards" volumns contain some of his most polished work. Kessel was also a member of the Oscar Peterson Trio with Ray Brown in the early 1950s. The guitar chair was called the hardest gig in show business since Peterson often liked to play at breakneck tempos. Herb Ellis took over from Kessel after a year or so. A "first call" guitarist at Columbia Pictures, during the 1960s Kessel became one of the most in-demand session guitarists in America, and is considered a key member of the group of first-call session musicians now usually known as The Wrecking Crew. In this capacity he played on hundreds of famous pop recordings including albums and singles by Phil Spector, The Beach Boys, The Monkees and many others. He appeared (in an acting part, not as a guitarist) in one episode of the Perry Mason TV show. During the 1970s, Kessel presented his seminar 'The Effective Guitarist' in various locations around the world. Kessel released several solo albums even late into his life. Kessel died of a brain tumor in San Diego, California. He had been in poor health after suffering a stroke in 1992.

These are the most popular pages: Alison Young Curl-up-and-dye Marilyn Art Pepper Gnat Trap Resident Alien Ginger Panda Barney Kessel Sunday Funnies Little Annie Fannie Yes, I refuse to use Kleenex until THIS stops. Things ain't what they used to be. (In fact, they never was.) The Profile (more than you really wanted to know) is here.

Eddie Condon

Today in 1973 we lost Eddie Condon. Fortunately, we didn't lose his music and his sense of humor. Thanks Eddie.

Can anyone identify this painting? Is it Francois Schuiten? Looks like his work but can someone confirm it?? Click for larger version. Yes, I refuse to use Kleenex until THIS stops.

Art Pepper - Wes Montgomery

Click here for my own Wordless Wednesday Picture Blog

Arthur Edward Pepper, Jr. (September 1, 1925–June 15, 1982) was an American jazz alto saxophonist. He began his musical career in the 1940s playing with Benny Carter and Stan Kenton. In the 1950s Pepper became one of the leading lights of West coast jazz, along with Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Shelly Manne, and others. His well-written autobiography Straight Life (1980)(transcribed by his third wife Laurie Pepper), is a unique exploration into the jazz world and drug and criminal subcultures of mid-twentieth century California. There was a previous blog on Art Pepper HERE... Thanks Art. We do miss you. John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (6 March 1923 - 15 June 1968) was an African American jazz guitarist. A double jointed thumb with a "corn" or a callus made a sound quite unique in the jazz world. His music was dominated also by his techinque of playing improvisational lines in octaves. Thanks Wes. We miss you. And please note...Today in 1956, in Liverpool, England, Lennon met McCartney. And you know what happened. Goo goo g' joob Can anyone identify this painting? Click for larger version. A very,merry unbushday to you! Go HERE! It's a hoot! Yes, I refuse to use Kleenex until THIS stops.

Les Paul

Les Paul (born Lester William Polsfuss on June 9, 1915) is an American jazz guitarist and inventor. He is one of the most important figures in the development of modern electric instruments and recording techniques. He is a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar (the Gibson Les Paul, which he helped design, is one of the most famous and enduring models), multitrack recording, and various reverb and echo effects. Also, he devised what he called “close-miking” the method of putting the recording microphone as close to the source of the sound/voice as possible. Think for a moment about what music would be like today without those innovations. Well. It just wouldn’t be here. That’s all. Take a couple minutes and listen to this short bio... Can anyone identify this painting? Click for larger version. A very,merry unbushday to you! Go HERE! It's a hoot! Yes, I refuse to use Kleenex until THIS stops.