Kessel's Quiet Fire on El Tigre
Barney Kessel's guitar stays nimble and unhurried while the band around him swings with easy, confident drive.
Put the needle down and the first thing you hear is a rhythm section that knows exactly where it is going. Harry Babasin and Shelly Manne lock into a loose, bouncing groove, and Barney Kessel's guitar slides in with the kind of clean, rolling single-note lines that sound effortless even when they are not. The tempos sit in the middle range, nothing frantic, and the mood is warm, slightly playful, a little sunny. This is West Coast jazz in its most relaxed form, built on small-group interplay rather than big-band pomp.
The instrumentation shifts across the record, which keeps it from feeling samey. Bud Shank's flute adds a light, airy color, and Larry Bunker's vibraphone brings a shimmer to the backgrounds. Harold Land's tenor gives the front line some heft when it is needed. Kessel is the center of gravity throughout, comping with chord inversions that show why he was so prized as a session player, then stepping forward for solos that stay melodic instead of showy.
As part of Kessel's catalog, El Tigre (1958) is a solid, enjoyable entry rather than a towering peak. If you want his most celebrated small-group work, you might start elsewhere, but for listeners who already enjoy the Los Angeles cool sound of the late 1950s, it is a pleasant, well-played record that rewards repeat listens.
Who's playing
Harry Babasindouble bass
Red Mitchellbass
Arnold Rosspiano
Jimmy Rowlespiano
Barney Kesselguitar
Harold Landtenor saxophone
Pete Candolitrumpet
Bud Shankflute
Shelly Mannedrums
Mel Lewisdrums
Larry Bunkervibraphone
Where next?
More by Barney Kessel
Barney Kessel, Volume 3: "To Swing or Not to Swing" 1955
Barney Kessel, Volume 1: Easy Like 1956
Some Like It Hot 1959
Feeling Free 1969
The musicians on this record
The Drum Sessions 1975
Shelly Manne
plays drums (drum set) here
plays drums (drum set) here
Bob Brookmeyer Featuring John Williams & Red Mitchell 1963
Red Mitchell
plays bass here
plays bass here
Weather in a Jazz Vane 1957
Jimmy Rowles
plays piano here
plays piano here
