Kenny Burrell - Rock & Roll Session Guitarist?

[JSngry]

...on the old Later w/Bob Costas show, something to the effect that the reason his old records sounded so musical was that he had "cats like Panama Francis & Kenny Burrell" playing on them.

Now, Francis I knew about, but Burrell came as a bit of a surprise. I mean, I had heard of his "session work", but assumed that it meant jingles and such. But session work is session work, I suppose, and the old R&R sides didn't swing like they did by accident, ya' know?

Anyway, does anybody have any further info about this aspect of Burrell's career, like whether it was something he did a lot of, or if he just hooked up for a few sessions with a certain artist and/or producer?

As always, thanks in advance!

Edited March 31, 2006 by JSngry

[mjzee]

I had a two-record set on Savoy of Sammy Price, called "Rib Joint." Not really jazz, more barrelhouse juke joint rock and roll, and excellent. King Curtis was all over it, and so was Kenny Burrell (as well as, on one date, Panama Francis). I'm surprised Savoy never released it on CD.

[Jim R]

I should probably know more about this, but I've never paid a whole lot of attention. Anyway, I recall once hearing an R&B or R&R session where Burrell was listed as the guitarist, and I could have sworn that it was somebody else. Some things (touch, taste, phrasing, maybe even tone) shouldn't really change that much, despite the setting... should they? I suppose all the discographical errors I've seen over the years have caused me to remain skeptical in many cases, until the truth is clear.

There, that was helpful, wasn't it?

[marcello]

The is actually a bunch of session from the late '50's, including:

February 26, 1958 : On this same day, CLYDE McPHATTER is also recording in

New York City, at Atlantic's Studio. "Come What May"/"Let Me Know" (Atlantic

1185) becomes Clyde's next single in May ; the A-side would later be recorded

by Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. "Deep Sea Ball" (perhaps his most

rocking record) is held on the shelf until 1960 (Atl. 2060). Same with "Just Give

Me A Ring" (Atlantic 2049). Backing musicians include Sam Taylor on sax, Mike

Stoller on piano, Kenny Burrell and George Barnes on guitars.

The Coasters with

Jesse Stone,dir/poss.prod; Lowell "Count" Hastings,ts; prob. Mike Stoller,arr; Kenny Burrell,gtr; Lloyd Trotman,bs; Joe Marshall,dms.

Capitol Studios, New York City June 12-13, 1957

57C-229 Wait A Minute -1 (59C-4083)

Sav. 1537 The Three Playmates - (Do-oo, Do-oo) I Dreamed c/w Give Your Love to Me

George Barrow, Jerome Richardson (ts) Budd Johnson (bars) Sam Price (p) Kenny Burrell (g) Joe Benjamin (b) Bobby Donaldson (d) The Three Playmates (vocal group) Ernie Wilkins (arr)

NYC, July 26, 1957

SPM70098 Give Your Love to Me

SPM70099 (Do-oo, Do-oo) I Dreamed

January 15, 1959: NEIL SEDAKA is at RCA Victor Studio A on 24th Street

in New York City, for a session produced by Al Nevins. The frantic "I Go Ape"

is chosen for the next single (RCA 47-7473, released in February), while "As

Long As I Live" finds a place on Neil's first LP and later (1962) on the B-side

of "Breakin' Up Is Hard To Do" (RCA 47-8046). Personnel: Everett

Barksdale and Kenny Burrell, guitars; Lloyd Trotman, bass; Sticks Evans,

drums; Ernie Hayes, piano; King Curtis, sax.

Edited March 31, 2006 by marcello

[Kalo]

Playing for The Coasters is one thing... (I love those guys.)

but Neil Sedaka? That's work. (Might've paid better, though.)

[JSngry]

Probably not. Scale's scale.

[Kalo]

No doubt you're right, JS.

But we'll all probably agree that The Coasters provided more "fun dividends."

[GregN]

And yet so many young and schooled "jazz" cats can't play rock-n-roll. Oh the irony...

[Harold_Z]

I think in those days Kenny did a lot of whatever dates came his way, including R&R and R&B (Interchangeable terms at that time). I think at one time he played in the pit band for a Broadway show also, although I can't remember which.

Another addition to the above mentioned "Rock and Roll" (vernacular of the times) dates Kenny played on the was the "Try Me" session for James Brown, along with Panama Francis, pianist Ernie Hayes (another guy who could and DID play anything that came his way) and ...don't remember who the bassist was. Maybe Leonard Gaskin or Lloyd Trotman.

Another guy known as a Jazz guitarist who played an many many R&R dates was George Barnes.

Edited March 31, 2006 by Harold_Z

[mikeweil]

He's also on at least one of Aretha's sessions...

That was the first that came to my mind, too. Atlantic had a policy of using jazz musicians on R&B sessions to get a more polished sound. George Duvivier, Connie Kay, and Specs Powell did a lot of these as well. Hell, all of the players did some time in R&B groups at the time!

Wasn't there a Ruth Brown session with Kenny on it?

[Jim Alfredson]

And yet so many young and schooled "jazz" cats can't play rock-n-roll. Oh the irony...

Well, back in those days, what was considered rock and roll was a lot closer to jazz than it is now.

[Dan Gould]

I had a two-record set on Savoy of Sammy Price, called "Rib Joint." Not really jazz, more barrelhouse juke joint rock and roll, and excellent. King Curtis was all over it, and so was Kenny Burrell (as well as, on one date, Panama Francis). I'm surprised Savoy never released it on CD.

AMG gives Mickey Baker as the guitarist on this set. Not that they are more trustworthy than you, but is your source the actual liners or something else? Are we sure this is Kenny Burrel?

[Stereojack]

I had a two-record set on Savoy of Sammy Price, called "Rib Joint." Not really jazz, more barrelhouse juke joint rock and roll, and excellent. King Curtis was all over it, and so was Kenny Burrell (as well as, on one date, Panama Francis). I'm surprised Savoy never released it on CD.

AMG gives Mickey Baker as the guitarist on this set. Not that they are more trustworthy than you, but is your source the actual liners or something else? Are we sure this is Kenny Burrel?

This set contains music recorded at several sessions. On six tracks recorded 1/24/57, Burrell is the guitarist.

[paul secor]

Jack is correct, but only four of the cuts from this session were issued on the original Savoy LP or the Arista/Savoy 2 LP reissue. Leadbitter/Fancourt/Pelletier lists "Give Me Your Smile" and "Love My Man" as the unissued titles.

[Dan Gould]

Thanks for the clarification/confirmation. I checked GEMM and was still confused, as some of the listings mentioned KB and others mentioned Baker.

[GregN]

And yet so many young and schooled "jazz" cats can't play rock-n-roll. Oh the irony...

Well, back in those days, what was considered rock and roll was a lot closer to jazz than it is now.

They can't call it rock-n-roll anymore cuz the roll is gone. The roll was Kenny!

[mailman]

I had a two-record set on Savoy of Sammy Price, called "Rib Joint." Not really jazz, more barrelhouse juke joint rock and roll, and excellent. King Curtis was all over it, and so was Kenny Burrell (as well as, on one date, Panama Francis). I'm surprised Savoy never released it on CD.

Rib Joint is one great set. Smokin' stuff.

[Dan Gould]

From what I've found online, Rib Joint was issued on CD, around 1993. Very hard to find, as is the vinyl. GEMM has some dealers who list it but at typical GEMM prices.

[Tom in RI]

Kenny Burrell is also on the Red Prysock Sil Austin record, Battle Royal.

[JSngry]

Dates like the Sammy Price, Red Prysock, etc. I don't find al that unusual. It's the more overty mainstream "pop" R&R dates that I was wondering about, like the Dion & Sedaka. That's a totally different thing, both musically and business-wise. But if George Barnes was making those type dates, I guess it's not at all unusual that Burrell would be too.