Three Guitars Finding Their Groove Together
Kessel trades solos with Farlow and Moore across sharp, swinging sessions that feel like a conversation between equals.
By 1955, Barney Kessel was already a working studio fixture in Los Angeles, but Swing Guitars marked one of his first genuine statements as a leader rather than a sideman. This was early in his recorded legacy as a bandleader — a moment when he was testing what a guitar-forward combo could do without pretense. The album pairs him with Tal Farlow and Oscar Moore in a three-guitar attack, a setup that could have been gimmicky but instead opens up the kind of interplay rarely heard on record. The guitars don't compete; they share the harmonic space, each one clear and uncluttered.
The rhythm section — Claude Williamson on piano, Red Mitchell and Joe Comfort sharing bass duties, and Stan Levey and George Jenkins rotating drums — stays lean and swinging. There's no excess, no filler. Kessel's knowledge of chords and voicings, something he would become known for throughout his career, shapes how these three guitars relate to each other. The tunes move at a brisk clip without feeling hurried. This is straight swing, the kind that doesn't announce itself.
What makes this record hold up is its refusal to oversell itself. There are no attempts at profundity, no extended explorations — just good musicians playing tight, well-constructed jazz over strong melodies. For listeners exploring Kessel's early work, this sits between the curiosity of his sideman recordings and the more assured trio and quartet sessions he recorded later. It's a genuine three-guitar statement, and it works because everyone involved understood their role.
Who's playing
Red Mitchelldouble bass
Joe Comfortdouble bass
Claude Williamsonpiano
Carl Perkinspiano
Tal Farlowguitar
Oscar Mooreguitar
Stan Leveydrums
George Jenkinsdrums
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
Their own records, close in time
