barney kessel

Combining a comprehensive knowledge of fretboard harmony with a take-no-prisoners approach, Kessel was a force to be reckoned with.

Intermediate

Intermediate

  • Learn bite-sized Barney Kessel-isms you can immediately add to your own playing.
  • Experiment with how Kessel used his fretting-hand thumb… if you dare.
  • Examine Kessel’s approach to playing and harmonizing improvised lines.
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Admittedly, I was late in discovering one of the greatest jazz guitarists of all time. It wasn’t until 2018 through a deep dive that I truly understood how incredible Barney Kessel was. I found him to be a bit different. There was a certain edge to his playing, some badass attitude in the mix. He was serious about playing good music, as opposed to simply playing a bunch of meaningless phrases—“plastic,” as Kessel called them—a series of notes which fit correctly over the chord changes, but have no musicality or soul. When discussing the importance of being able to play what you hear, he made it perfectly clear that, even if you do get to that level—well, I’ll let him tell you.
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