Kenny Burrell

[felser]

but, where can i get a cd-copy of "tender gender"? it's out of print ... or is it not? has there ever been a cd reissue of "tender gender"?

"Tender Gender" along with one other album was released on CD as "Soulero", which I think is also OOP, but sometimes shows up on eBay.

Actually, 'Soulero' is 'Tender Gender' with only half of another album, the bad (non title-suite) half of 'Ode to 52nd St.'. Running time is like 54 minutes. Another one of those strange, screwed-up MCA reissues of some classic jazz stuff that were inflicted on us in the early-mid 90's.

[Shawn]

At some point evidently being a "tasteful" player became a crime. I love Burrell, more so than many of the other jazz guitarists regardless of era...I love him for the same reason that I love Turrentine, Blue Mitchell, Red Garland, Shirley Scott and countless others...his FEEL. Yes, dammit...FEEL. Burrell has it by the truckload. He's funky when he needs to be, technically fierce when the occasion calls for it and always bluesy...tastefully bluesy (and there's nothing wrong with that). Ellington was quoted as saying Kenny was his favorite guitarist, I think I'll trust Duke's opinion anyday. If you find Kenny a boring player, you might want to get your ears checked.

[JSngry]

Ellington is Forever

I had this as an AOTW some time ago. I'd have to say I liked it as much for the guests as for Burrell himself.

That's right at the cusp of the Burrell Gets Boring period, but the way he phrases that first bridge on "Just Squeeze Me" stopped me dead in my tracks the first time I heard it on the radio late one night back in the day.

And lets just say that what I was doing at the time was something in which I didn't normally get my tracks stopped, dead or otherwise.

Ok, compare the two Turrentine/Scott versions of "Trouble". Which one grooves harder? The one on Hustlin'. Why? Burrell's co-comp with Scott. Perfect? Yes, absolutely. Something that any # of players could do? Yes, but only if the any number is quite small.

In other words, there's a lot that goes into why I dig Burrell other than just his "solo voice". In his time/element, he was one of, as one of his albums was called, "the cats". Not that many peoples was one of the cats, ya' know? Especially cats who was non-users/abusers/etc. To be that and still be one of the cats, you had to bring some music to the game, and that is what Burrell did.

I'll make no attempt to defend his Concord and beyond years. If you like 'em, fine, if not, I'm with you there (although, come to think of it, there's a Concord version of "Second balcony Jump" live at the Vanguard that made me buy it right there in the store. That cut was really good, but now as then, it's the only cut off the album I go for). And if you want to look at what he "wasn't", then you have as much of a case as I do for what he "was". And then it simply comes down to are you going to judge somebody's talent by what they didn't do or what they did do. If os, fine, that's a personal call, but to make it anything more than that is nothing short of delusionality masquerading as discernment.

[marcello]

This is all good, fiesty, rhetoric, but unfortunately it doesn't hold up to most of the music under question, unless you've recently bumped your head & are are now confusing Kenny Burrell with, say, Barry Gailbrath.

Pretty good Jim!

I'm not saying KB was/is a genius or a innovator, but a influence on a generation of guitar players accross genres and urban cultures, if you get what I mean.

And shit yeah, a master of his instrument.

Maybe it's because I had the oportunity to sit accross from him quite a few times when I was young (starting in '69) to get touched.

Starting with Elington is Forever is when he lost interest for me, by the way, but that doesn't change the facts.

I also dig Gene Bertoncini, Chuck Wayne, Al Gafa, Bola Sete, Jim Hall and a lot of other fine, and yes, master guitarists.

Actually, I find this a rather nice discussion.

...and I hope that KB cashed a barrell full of checks.

Edited June 30, 2008 by marcello

[JSngry]

That Burrell is a vapid technician of mediocre accomplishment and veneration of him as more-than-that is either delusional projection or the type of limited hearing that killed Our Music the first time-- and good riddance, for the most part?

No, what killed Our Music was the Decline And Fall of The Bringers Along, of whom Burrell was never one. He was an Assistant To The Bringers Along and a damn good one.

you need both. You need the middle as well as the top (and bottom). Ferinstance - why were Gil's bands always so killer? Because he had strong solo voices and strong section players, which is why Hemphill's big band record, as great as it is, falters ever so slightly - not enough good section players to play the parts. It matters, because that's how the music is built. Sure, if I had to choose....but - I'd rather not have to.

And yes, this translates to small group music as well. The dynamics of a successful group play to both obvious and subtle qualities alike, and does anybody ever stop to think not fucking something up and making a positive contribution are 100% not the same thing?

If it's New York in that day, and I'm putting together a hard-bop-ish blowing date with a guitar in tow, and I want somebody to do more than just not fuck it up, if I want it to be slick and flay-va-full, Kenny Burrell is on my very short list. Dis on that all you want, but good luck on making that dis come true.

[JSngry]

I'm not saying KB was/is a genius or a innovator, but a influence on a generation of guitar players accross genres and urban cultures, if you get what I mean.

Very true, that. I personally saw it go across about three generations (technically, two generations spread very widely). Kenny, Wes, and Grant was The Big 3, with Pat Azarra (sic) in the bullpen, at least, in my neighbor's hood.

Again, if all you hear is the slick and none of the grit, you ain't hearin' Kenny Burrell the way that many others do.

Edited June 30, 2008 by JSngry

[clifford_thornton]

Barry Galbraith + George Russell kills Kenny Burrell's entire dead-on-the-heavy-bunk career.

Are you comparing Galbraith/Russell with Burrell/Evans?!?

By that logic, I'm awaiting my fourth tit any day now...

[JSngry]

...Barry Galbraith + George Russell kills Kenny Burrell's entire dead-on-the-heavy-bunk career.

...and Barry Gailbrath - George Russell = ? "Barry's Tune", which = how you hear Burrell and...what else of note?

Gailbrath was playing parts. And well. But the # of players who could approximate the whats/hows of how he did that then is exponentially greater the $ of players who could do what Burrell did.

What, you gonna put fuckin' George Van Epps or Howard Roberts on a session w/Trane? Tina Brooks? Yeah, and Lester Young needed Elvin behind him instead of Jo Jones.

Of course.

Sometimes I think you don't hear the peoples unless they scream at 'cha...

In that case, you hear what you wanna hear, which is not necessarily all that is being said.

Edited June 30, 2008 by JSngry

[Shawn]

You know what's even more "boring" than Kenny?

Chauncey/Clem/BRIAN's fucking lame ass attempt at humor posts, you can't even be a 10th as intelligent as you seem to think you are. No wonder people think jazz if for elitist pricks...

[JSngry]

John Sangrey, Kenny Burrell is marking time, at best, which doesn't mean he has a new rhythmic conception or an interesting take on an old one. While you may be a more kindly man than I am woman, Barry Galbraith + George Russell kills Kenny Burrell's entire dead-on-the-heavy-bunk career. I'm not giving out any not-dead-yet points, in this case, by the way.

"Tastey" is garbage, "tastey" is shit, "tastey" is for the kitchen, not more than a few jazz records and if you need it that badly, I interview George Van Eps, twice, and can hook you up with his ghost. If you live in a world of such generosity and abundance (and limited interest in other musics) that "tastey" is any kind of near-peak achievement, well, that's a very sad statement on aesthetic reach but I do credit the contentious honesty.

Anyone needs Kenny Fucking Burrell (?!) on Duke Ellington (?!?!?!) like they need Wynton on Monk or I need a third tit. But then one man's "tribute" is this old gal's self-aggrandizing (but oh so "modest," Kenny is such a modest cat, man) shit sandwich. Yeah, Duke loved Kenny! Please. And understand Duke's sarcasm: or is it not interesting Duke couldn't write, play or even arrange with one fifth the dreariness of even peak-Kenny. I might put the very worst EKE (Bethlehem lp? the few Capitol duds? Not Reprise: even "Mary Poppins" kills any Kenny leader date) on the same level as Burrell but that's about it.

At least Howard Roberts had an excuse, and balls.

Finally, as I said before, "Wholly Cats." I bet the biggest Kenny Burrell fans here can't tell you their favorite take.

When you're right, you're right and funny. Whe you're wrong, you're wrong and funny.

I like it better when you're right and funny.

This ain't one of those times.

Oh well!

[JSngry]

Actually, I know I need to hear more...

.

No, not unless you feel a need to get deeper into that whole out-of-Detroit hardbop thing and all that it spawned. And if you ain't felt that need yet, don't force it, I'd say.

OTOH, it's probably best not to go off on tangents about it that are based more in theory than in reality either...

[Big Al]

Shit, after reading this thread, I need to put on BLUE LIGHTS. It's all in what you/I/anyone hears, and despite the fact this record is a half-century old, it still lights me up without fail. Plus, listening to it will be like the aural equivalent of taking a shower to wash off the threadcrap.

[Shawn]

"three thousand miles back home" off of sky street. his best album.

That's a great track and one of his best albums from the 70's, Kenny & Jerome Richardson were a great combination.

[clifford_thornton]

I'm just arguing apples/oranges, not > or < ,dig?

But that's a dead horse here anyway, what two pages back? And at this point, to me, it's not worth getting that cup over my fourth tit to worry about KB doing what he does best (whether or not one is "feeling" that).

[clifford_thornton]

Rather fond of this'n, fwiw:

[AndrewHill]

Rather fond of this'n, fwiw:

Acquired this a couple of years ago and hell yeah this is a dandy session! The best of Detroit including Pepper Adams? Oh hell yeah!

FWIW, I dig Kenny quite a bit, especially his BN, Prestige and Verve sides. "Introducing Kenny Burrell" should be in anyone's collection who enjoys jazz guitar, and the BN Conn couples that with his second BN date.

A word for the Village Argo date mentioned above with Davis and Haynes...this date is freakin' amazing! One of the best guitar trio sides around!

Just my opinion

[Shawn]

Clifftone Solo Oboe Recital: Great cover yes, and half that band is pretty hot, I agree; too bad the piano player and guitarist are such saps. Very "tastey" though! Wake me when its syrup season? We can road trip to Quebec if we're both still single then.

Clifftone Duos (with Richard Teitelbaum): Did George Russell ever embarrass you? I don't mean directly but rather, did you ever cringe, slightly, at George's ambition, his philosophies and his rhetoric? Let me answer that question for you, and you can do the same for me elsewhere, OK? The answer is YES. That is why George Russell was and is a Great Artist.

Clifftone Trios (with Kenny Wheeler and-- wow-- here is, Osie Johnson!): I'll grant Gil Evans could be a little embarassing too and, alas, not usually for reasons I'm as sympathetic with as George but still, he was trying, and hired Billy Harper.

Clifftone Quartet (Plays The Art of the Fugue): Kenny Burrell doesn't embarrass nor offend, except those who've waited 50+ years for this guy to play-- oh, oh, here's a cross-genre example-- even 16 bars like Sam Fuller. Is that too much to ask or am I resigned to taking a piss EVERY time Kenny starts sliding around another tedious, "tastey" solo?

The New Clifftone 5 (Live At Slug's): George Russell had better hair than Buddy Miles and Rob Tyner combined; Kenny Burrell on his best day never came close.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ........

Wake me up when this wind-bag shuts the fuck up.

[Ragu]

Well for a variety of reasons, I haven't been reading the posts here as much as I used to (daily). So seeing a thread about KB made me curious, because he's one of my favorites. And after reading, a few things are clear:

• 
  

• Some people need the attention of having an opposite opinion of the accepted wisdom on a subject. I've been gulty of that. But you try to outgow that. The far extreme being denying war atocities...
  
• Sangrey as always hits the nail on the head while being fair to all concerned
  
• In my corner of the world, back in the day, the cats all copped from Kenny, and yes they heard McLaughlin and Sharrock, etc. and they made a choice, and if you want to play who's hipper, you better come armed cause those guys would blow you off the stand if you were jive
  
• They used to call Kenny the Velvet Whip because it's about being smooth and powerful, laid back and threatening, tasty and serious, not many others could do it.
  
• I play the guitar, and with due respect to Chet, Howard Roberts, Grady Martin, etc....it's about his tone, baby
  
• I don't need anyone to validate my opinion of who/what is good, but I also don't need to convince you...the desperation in some posts is funny
  
• I played some Kenny this morning before I even saw this thread and it makes me want to go play Soul Call. Also check out the CD on Esoteric of his Columbia sessions
  

[Dan Gould]

In my strongly held, fact-based opinion ... [snip]

That's f-ing rich, pal. There's not a damn "factual basis" to any of your opinions.

And if you are Brian-the-Brooklyn-Poet/Clem, let me direct you to this in the Forum Rules:

5) We do not encourage multiple memberships or aliases. We prefer one account per person. Anyone found to have multiple accounts will be contacted and asked to choose one of their aliases, at which time the other account(s) will be deleted.

[AllenLowe]

thanks for mentioning that, Adolf -

[Big Al]

Listening to SOUL CALL right now via Rhapsody. Oh my but this is SWEET!!! Add yet another one to the endlessly growing list of OJCs to git before I die. Thanks for the heads up Durium!

Edited June 30, 2008 by Big Al

[Big Beat Steve]

... of the accepted wisdom on a subject.

It may come as a surprise to you but in ultimately relatively non-essential areas of life such as jazz recordings, there is no such thing as "accepted wisdom". In the end it all boils down to a matter of personal taste and to one's personal points of reference in approaching the subject (i.e. artist and his work) so any difference in taste (the foundation of anybody's listening experience) will automatically result in dissent in the appraisal of ANY music. Wherever taste comes in (and it does here), there is no objective, unalterable, eternal truth. Majority and minority opinions - yes, but beyond that? I doubt it.

BTW, no - I do NOT have an opinion on KB's 60s recordings.

[Niko]

That's f-ing rich, pal. There's not a damn "factual basis" to any of your opinions.

And if you are Brian-the-Brooklyn-Poet/Clem, let me direct you to this in the Forum Rules:

5) We do not encourage multiple memberships or aliases. We prefer one account per person. Anyone found to have multiple accounts will be contacted and asked to choose one of their aliases, at which time the other account(s) will be deleted.

as someone who has still trouble reading English I must say I was very happy with the recent shift in personality - let to posts i could actually understand without much effort ... so i do encourage multiple memberships in this case...

[7/4]

In fact (somebody please adjust Mr. Gould's crooked fedora, the press is coming soon for pictures),

Now that's funny.

.

[JSngry]

Never in my 64 years have I ever, for even a second thought, goddamn! I get to play Jimmy or Stanley AND get Kenny Burrell too.

Damn dude, err...ma'am...that leads me to wonder what else you haven't done in your 64 years...

Seriously, lay off the Metrecal & eat some fish!