LF: Kenny Burrell photos

[Jim R]

I'd like to ask a favor of anybody out there who might be able to help without going to too much trouble. I'm interested in finding photos of Kenny Burrell, partly just because he's my favorite guitarist and I enjoy looking at different shots of him; and partly because I'm interested in tracking the different instruments he's used over the years (during the era in question, he went through some Gibsons- ES175D's-> L5 custom (bar pickup) ->; a D'Angelico New Yorker; and perhaps an Epiphone Emperor).

I've already done a Google Image search, which was fairly productive, but I'd still like to see what else I can turn up. I'm particularly interested in the late 1950's thru the 60's. Photos from recording sessions would be particularly great. I have some books of jazz photography that contain a few shots of KB, but there are at least a few I've seen in bookstores that I didn't buy. One of these showed Burrell and Jimmy Smith at a recording session (for Verve, if memory serves).

So, if anybody out there has the ability to scan and post images, I would be very grateful to see any photos that might be deemed rare/uncommon. FWIW, I have the BN coffee table book of Francis Wolff's photos, and almost all of KB's own LP's/CD's, but not everything he did as a sideman.

I know this is a bit of a longshot, but thanks in advance if you have anything you can share.

I'll post some shots I've found from this era, beginning with an early 60's photo (one of several included in the "Moten Swing" CD reissue):

Here's one I found yesterday, which I had never seen before:

... and one of my favorites, by Lee Tanner:

With the aforementioned Epiphone:

Edited December 17, 2006 by Jim R

[Jim R]

Another fairly uncommon shot, from a Japan-only release:

The hard-to-find Columbia vocal & guitar LP, thankfully reissued on vinyl a few years ago:

This one (the guitar, that is) has had me stumped for a few years. Perhaps not KB's guitar...

This may be into the early 70's (not sure). Super 400. Anybody know who the bassist is?

Edited December 17, 2006 by Jim R

[Jim R]

Classic Wolff shot:

This cover was a "fantasy" image (superimposed images of Trane and a shot of KB probably taken after Trane's death, and certainly long after they recorded together):

Edited December 17, 2006 by Jim R

[Jim R]

From the "Midnight Blue" session.

Edited December 17, 2006 by Jim R

[Jim R]

Circa late 60's, with the D'Angelico New Yorker:

With Kessel and Green

[Dan Gould]

Jim, I'll try to remember to check that Italian LP for any pictures. Not sure if there were any, and of course who knows if they'd be "rare" but I'll let you know.

[Jim R]

Thanks Dan.

[Dan Gould]

Jim:

I can't deal with my scanner-either the image is too big or it gets saved as a type that won't upload. Totally annoying. Anyway, I'll e-mail the scan to you so you can at least see it.

In the meantime, may I ask where the KB/Grant/Kessell picture came from? That's a concert I'd have wanted to attend!

[Jim R]

Dan, I got the Burrell/Kessel/Green photo from Here. Lots of interesting photos from shows in the UK. There's a jazz guitar video (now on DVD, I think) that's been in circulation for years, of those three playing one tune (a blues by Kessel) at a club (Ronnie Scott's?) in England, circa 1969 or so. The photo above may be the same location, but I think it's a different (later) performance, probably early 70's.

[couw]

TOCJ 1609

[Jim R]

Up for air...

Looks like some of my linked images have gone dead (I've edited them).

Can anybody add anything to this? I'm especially interested in shots from the 50's and 60's. I was just listening to KB on Illinois Jacquet's "Desert Winds" on Argo, and wondering again about any photos (or video!?) of KB that may have survived from that era (circa '64).

I think there was a shot of KB inside the foldout cover of Terry Gibbs "Take It From Me" (Impulse) LP... haven't seen that in years.

Edited December 17, 2006 by Jim R

[Eric]

There are five Frank Wolff photos on the Mosaic site:

http://www.mosaicrecords.com/photosearch.asp

Edited December 17, 2006 by Eric

[Jim R]

Yep, those are nice (see post #4 above ). Thanks, though. I guess I'm looking for things that are either new to the web, or rarely seen scans from LP's or whatever...

[marcello]

[Jim R]

Thanks Marcello. That bottom one is a favorite of mine (I think it's the one that isn't working anymore in my opening post). It was taken at the Jazz Workshop in Boston in 1965 (nice big print in Tanner's "Images Of Jazz" on pg. 118).

[marcello]

[marcello]

Edited December 17, 2006 by marcello

[Jim R]

Thanks again, Marcello. You may want to look at the ones I've already posted though. I'm not too interested in KB's own LP covers and such... I've got all those. The photo with McFarland is new to me, so thanks in particular for that one. That last one is nice, too. Not sure if I'd already seen that.

[Big Beat Steve]

One or two VERY early shots of Kenny Burrell are in the BEFORE MOTOWN book on the history of Jazz in Detroit up to 1960.

[Shawn]

I'd like to get a copy of the photo inside the Chess Soulero release, Burrell in a train(?) station..

[wigwise]

Have a look here:

http://detroitmusichistory.com/

The middle photo is of Kenny, who looks to be a teenager, standing between Jo Jones and Willie Anderson. If I recall correctly, there are a few more photos of Kenny (and his brother Bill) in the book "Before Motown".

[Jim R]

Thanks for the tips on the book, guys. Looks interesting.

Shawn, I'm not sure I remember that one... I only owned Soulero for a short time, before finding more complete issues of that material. Maybe somebody can do a scan?

[Jim R]

I was googling for some info on KB today, and I happened to notice a link to a Youtube video ( KB / Midnight Blue ). The thumbnail image posted for the video was something I'd never seen before, so I investigated immediately. Unfortunately, the "video" is one of these Youtube "slideshows" (I have a bit of a problem with the proliferation of these, as most of them offer nothing other than audio and still photos- most of which are very common). Fortunately, a couple of the still photos are what I would consider to be relatively rare. I'll attempt to attach them below...

[Jim R]

Second shot...

Btw, the fascinating thing here for me is the fact that the guitar in these photos is something of a transition guitar for KB. It's a customized Gibson instrument, something of a hybrid between the ES-175 model he had used in the late 50's, and the customized L5 that he used around 1962 to 1964. The guitar in these photos looks to have had an L5 neck/fingerboard attached to an ES-175 body. The "Charlie Christian" pickup was likely a customization (can't see what the bridge pickup is, but I assume it's a P-90, which would have been standard on the 175). The "6-finger" tailpiece and string damper (near the nut) are unusual for that era, and the pickguard is not a stock item. Anyway, guitar hounds may find some of this interesting... or not. Bottom line- what a sound, and what a player. Happy Birthday, KB.

[Jimmer]

I just found these ones doing an image search on Google. I hope they're helpful. We can thank Durium for the second photo!

Edited August 1, 2009 by Jimmer