This Simple Solo Is Way Better Than You Think!

[@JensLarsen]

Who is your favorite when it comes to swinging rhythms and Jazz phrasing? Here's a mind-blowing Joe Pass solo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnOyoYWva8ybgNU

[@RobKandell]

Not a guitarist, but Lou Donaldson is the latest. I have “Blues Walk” in right now.

[@tomcripps7229]

Barney Kessel

[@n8r875]

Stan Getz

[@briankays2635]

Joe Pass is probably my favorite but Barney Kessel is one of my favorites for the same reason Kenny Burell is. It's jazz. There's no denying it but, their playing is about nothing other than the music. It's not "hey look at what i can do" rather, it's about interesting phrasing and note choices. Zero pretentiousness. Here's a great example: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKnEfqqDZ7aem80si=jf-Xg9rlT0o9oc5c

[@ChuckNicholsonTRM]

Barney is tops in my book. He always emphasized how important it is to actually say something when soloing.

[@williammouri1096]

One of the best in history. Such drive, swing, and innovation. Barney is fantastic!😊😊😊

[@JensLarsen]

Indeed!

[@rickjensen2717]

One of the few players with a true melodic gift 🎯, rather than simply rattling through stale arpeggios, scale fragments and enclosures.

[@aluminati9918]

Thanks for highlighting Barney Kessel. His playing on late period Billie Holiday records is just so classy. Recommend everyone to check them out. Songs for Distingue Lovers in particular.

[@matthewgoldberg1461]

Thanks for remembering Barney. I heard him several times with Herb in the 1980s The bridge to Yardbird Suite follows the chords from the bridge to Irving Berlin’s “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.” Right where Ella would sing, “Off with my overcoat…”

[@glenlapwing8468]

Saw Barney live with the great guitars years ago, he was a wild man on some of their stuff, literally played stuff that shouldn’t fit, but he made it fit!

[@kaloblues]

You are very good teacher thank you so much for taking the time and making this videos ❤

[@JensLarsen]

You are very welcome

[@peterfclark]

Thanks for the shout out to Ed Bickert. Such an understated Canadian Jazz legend.

[@mer1red]

Barney Kessel is one of those jazz players that knew how to build a melodic line above the harmony that fits it, but doesn't expose it. Imho that is the most superior soloing technique where you don't just do some figures around the chords but think mainly horizontally. He was aware of the pre-Bebop era where this was done more often.

[@juansecar2]

I really don't know why many people don't know Barney, because he was as huge as they came... one of the best, and a freakin swing beast! And imma bass player. Cheers and happy holidays.

[@JensLarsen]

Happy holidays 🙂

[@johnperiard9594]

Thanks for highlighting Barney!

[@Schwarzwald2024]

I've always loved Barney Kessel's playing. I think I remember him saying he was greatly influenced by Charlie Christian and I think you can hear this in some of his playing. He also said he listened to horn players all the time and tried to emulate what they were doing. Winton Marsalis said more than three decades ago now that for him, jazz had to have elements of the blues in it, otherwise what you're doing may be great music but don't call it jazz. Winton is a REALLY smart guy. So was Barney.

[@roberttendl8592]

Barney was great and surely NOT underrated. He's one of the most seminal voices amongst the first generation of modern jazz guitarists. Wynton is a dogmatic and a musical museum's-director. He plays very well and knows a lot about the tradition, but he BORES. He's mainly administrating other people's stuff. Miles said he he wouldnt care what his music would be called like. Tradition is fine, but the skills and know-how included in it should be used, together with skills and know-how from elsewhere (f.e. what would Bill Evans' music be without Debussy? Bird tried to get in contact with Stravinsky, etc., etc.....) to create something personally unique and somehow new. That's the spirit that made jazz great. If Wynton had lived in the late 30ies and 40ies he probably wouldn't have embraced the bepob-revolution (blues aside) and still 've insisted on anachronistic things like the big four. Know your stuff but then be brave and go ahead! Change is welcome. The world is not a stable thing. We're here to grow.

[@Schwarzwald2024]

@@roberttendl8592 It is not anachronistic to insist that real jazz should be rooted in blues music where it came from. Winton Marsalis may be a bore to you, but he's academically gifted with a number of degrees. He has played Bach concertos with European orchestras as well as being a great teacher and mentor of jazz music. A lot of jazz has been bastardised into something it was never meant to be. Barry Harris said to his classes, "when we started this music, we played it to dance to. Let me ask you, what beat do you tap your foot on". The answer he got was "2 and 4". Harris said, "NO, NO, NO. You clap on 2 and 4 and the foot goes on 1 and three. That's the trouble with most bass players today." There are basics in jazz(not just THAT, obviously) that when you start departing from them, you lose its character. If you don't get that, you are doing no service to one of the greatest forms of music ever created, which was a fusion from pure African 'blues' with European traditions and instrumentation. You can't conveniently lose one of them and still call it jazz.

[@DavidRobinson-j6n]

Barney could really swing. Loved Him.

[@To.Si.Ma.]

My favorite jazzguitarplayers are: Django and Charlie - early stuff Wes and Barney - classic era McLaughlin and DiMeola - fusion Scofield and Lage/Noy - contemporary Kessel was an important figure. He took the guitar into spotlight. 57-60 I guess most selling group. That was then overpassed by Wes. - Before the 60s rock power trios there were the jazz trios.

[@ricklaino6385]

Thanks for another great lesson Jens.........I'd further like to explore that "call and response " technique.......

[@JensLarsen]

@@ricklaino6385 Great! Go for it 🙂

[@jordivrolijkanimation]

Mega underrated gitarist! Bedankt voor de video Jens

[@insidejazzguitar8112]

Great educational video as always. The examples are so well research and make so much sense. Glad you mentioned Ed Bickert

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@FlipPeters]

The Em6 phrase in the second half of the bridge is pure Charlie Christian.

[@Schwarzwald2024]

Yes agreed. Barney Kessel was a massive Charlie Christian fan.

[@jonk.j.jeffbartz7948]

My favorite Guitarist for years (going way back) was Oscar Moore. Then, along came Barney . . . Wow~ and, of course, Mr. Smith. Then there was Howard Roberts, and that guy that used to put me into Dreamworld . . . Gabor Szabo. First heard Mr. Pass on "Sounds of Synanon," but never listened to him again until about a year ago. Wish I could play 1/10 as well as any of them, but wishes don't getcha there!

[@lycan1235]

Great lesson as always, Jens! 😊

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@djonakachopper]

He made some great recordings over a long span! Good post!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@ericstrauch3215]

Great lesson Jens! I'd like to see more like this from you. Very instructive. Add in some tips on transcribing and solos to start with. Great content.

[@JensLarsen]

I have quite a few of these already 😎 Here are some transcribing tips: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWiygGCpaJajhbc

[@jasonmudgarde286]

Barney also did some video lessons, still on KZbin, can recommend.

[@midnightblues717]

This was cool Jens, thanks! Barney was underrated. We need a fifth on Mount Rushmore though; Kenny Burrell, a master of Jazz-Blues.

[@FriendsofMusicOnlie]

Great lesson. 👏👏👏 Can you produce a lesson out of the typical “dark brown “ sounding harmonies Barney Kessel is playing in many songs , especially in his later work with the Great Guitars and on his CD Spontaneous Combustion among others ?

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you. I am not sure what you are asking for?

[@cjsevalez]

Tasty. More Barney please. He's my favourite, after you of course Jens ;-)

[@JensLarsen]

🙏🙂

[@schnirzelzwirn]

Hard to find a favorite among so man greats, and that is ok. Worthwile checking out: James Chirillo who was described as a "Barney Kessel removed from the hot stove" (e.g. the albums Sultry Serenade, Here Comes The Night) and George Barnes (e g. Live at Berliner Jazztage, with Rudy Braff, KZbin)

[@tristanwatson8882]

Nice video and nice solo. Barney does a cool solo on Another You on the same album. Hampton was a killer too!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! Yes, that whole album is great 🙂

[@cbolt4492]

Thanks Jens! On the list

[@JensLarsen]

You're so welcome!

[@tomcripps7229]

Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you for your support, Tom

[@jeremygottwals6704]

Hi Jens. Thanks for this great look at Barney Kessel's magic. You mention a link to an uptempo Jim Hall solo? Apologies but I can't seem to locate it. I managed to find the Joe Pass link you pinned. Perhaps I am confused but I could've sworn you mentioned a Jim Hall link in this video's description. Grateful for all you do. So, if that link isn't an easy fix, don't worry!!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! The video is there now 🙂

[@MrSpanky2001]

This is way over my head.

[@henrygurshman4031]

The changes for Yardbird Suite are the changes for Rosetta.

[@JensLarsen]

Ok, don't you think that is a bit of a stretch?

[@triguna7692]

Hi Jens again as always good explanation and lesson, if I look at all the so call teachers oh man so many EGO while you teach playing music and not bla bla.thanks man and namaste🙏

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Glad you like the videos 🙂

[@johnpereira2910]

Only now l grasped the fun of pivot arpeggios and enclosures. You are aiming for a particular SOUND, the precise notes don't matter

[@marcus2515]

Kool 😎🎶🎶 / 🎵🎵🎵🎵

[@jeremyversusjazz]

👌

[@lascellehewitt3542]

I would like you to play a few jazz standards then solo over them for the benefit of your hearers.

[@winterbottom2427]

barney

[@DaddySantaClaus]

benson and pat learned from him... benson said it himself. i use loads of diads on my playing because of him too

[@JensLarsen]

Ok, I never came across them mentioning this 🙂

[@DaddySantaClaus]

@@JensLarsen check george benson's interview with rick beato. he says it there. great interview.

[@scottnipper7334]

Never understood why Pat Martino would be considered in the top 4. I would put a half dozen or more other guitarists on my Mount Rushmore of jazz guitarists over Martino.

[@ledaswan5990]

Bonnie Kessel? Oh wait,took me a second

[@davidpatrick1813]

40 watching 15 thumbs

[@lgoler]

Btw, Yardbird Suite is the changes to Rosetta! The late great Phil Schaap spent months showing that Bird wrote no original changes, they were all based on something, sometimes quite obscure older tunes, foreign pop songs, etc.

[@FlipPeters]

Nope. Phil Schaap loved to hear himself talk but he was often off the mark.

[@JensLarsen]

Ok, don't you think that is a bit of a stretch?

[@christopherhall6586]

That Em6 arpeggio is likely a Six Appeal quote. Makes sense when you remember that Kessel owned Charlie Christian's guitar 😬 EDIT: I'm totally wrong about this lmao

[@JensLarsen]

That could be 🙂

[@christopherhall6586]

​@@JensLarsen You know I just looked it up to double check, and apparently I'm just out here lying and spreading misinformation lol. Bruce Forman owns Barney Kessel's guitar, which has a Charlie Christian pickup. In my defense, Kessel was a humongous fan of Charlie. 😅

[@JensLarsen]

@@christopherhall6586 I am out on a gig, so I couldn't check 🙂

[@middxmale9692]

Could you not play us the WHOLE piece at start ( So we can at least hear the FULL Song / Part ) ... the way your doing it, is hard to take in ..I hate tutorials, where they dont play the piece to be learned at START ..Pretty pointless to me ...On to another Tuitor

[@JensLarsen]

No, then the video would get a copyright strike. You can listen to the solo and then come back and check the anlaysis.

[@steveprager7862]

Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you for the support, Steve!