Barney Kessel

Barney Kessel

Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist. Known in particular for his knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies, he was a member of many prominent jazz groups as well as a "first call" guitarist for studio, film, and television recording sessions. Kessel was a member of the group of session musicians informally known as the Wrecking Crew.

Birth and Death Data: Born Muskogee (city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States), Died May 6, 2004 (San Diego (seat of San Diego County, California, United States; second-largest city in California) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 951 - 1955

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 44 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	E4LB-4447	10-in.	8/13/1954	Kentucky home boogie	Marvin Wright		instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D5VB-0032	10-in.	1/9/1945	The grabtown grapple	Gramercy Five ; Artie Shaw	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D5VB-0033	10-in.	1/9/1945	The sad sack	Gramercy Five ; Artie Shaw	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D5VB-1047	10-in.	4/17/1945	But not for me	Artie Shaw Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D5VB-1048	10-in.	4/17/1945	Tea for two	Artie Shaw Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D5VC-1091	10-in.	4/17/1945	Summertime	Artie Shaw Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D5VB-1097	10-in.	7/28/1945	Don't blame me	Artie Shaw Orchestra	Instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D5VB-1102	10-in.	7/31/1945	Scuttlebutt	Gramercy Five ; Artie Shaw	Jazz/dance sextet	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D5VB-1103	10-in.	8/2/1945	The gentle grifter	Gramercy Five ; Artie Shaw	Jazz/dance sextet	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D5VB-1104	10-in.	8/2/1945	Mysterioso	Gramercy Five ; Artie Shaw	Jazz/dance sextet	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D5VB-1105	10-in.	8/2/1945	Hop, skip and jump	Gramercy Five ; Artie Shaw	Jazz/dance sextet	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D7VB-0511	10-in.	4/22/1947	From dixieland to be-bop (or Condon meets Gillespie)	Lucky Seven (Lucky Thompson) ; Lucky Thompson	Jazz/dance octet	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	D7VB-0513	10-in.	4/22/1947	Boppin' the blues	Lucky Seven (Lucky Thompson) ; Lucky Thompson	Jazz/dance octet	instrumentalist, guitar
Excelsior	TR-107	10-in.	1944-1951	Bring enough clothes for three days	Excelsior Hep Cats ; Timmie Rogers		instrumentalist, guitar
Decca	80004		8/4/1947	Stardust, part 1	Charlie Shavers		instrumentalist, guitar
Decca	80005		8/4/1947	Stardust, part 2	Charlie Shavers		instrumentalist, guitar
Decca	80006		8/4/1947	Stardust, part 3	Charlie Shavers		instrumentalist, guitar
Decca	80007		8/4/1947	Stardust, part 4	Charlie Shavers		instrumentalist, guitar
Decca	80008		8/4/1947	The man I love, part 1	Gene Norman "Just Jazz" All Stars		instrumentalist, guitar
Decca	80009		8/4/1947	The man I love, part 2	Gene Norman "Just Jazz" All Stars		instrumentalist, guitar
Decca	80010		8/4/1947	The man I love, part 3	Gene Norman "Just Jazz" All Stars		instrumentalist, guitar
Decca	80011		8/4/1947	The man I love, part 4	Gene Norman "Just Jazz" All Stars		instrumentalist, guitar
Decca	103796		8/4/1947	One o'clock jump-1	Gene Norman "Just Jazz" All Stars		instrumentalist, guitar
Decca	103797		8/4/1947	Oh, lady be good-2	Gene Norman "Just Jazz" All Stars		instrumentalist, guitar
Decca	L 3487	10-in.	8/3/1944	Skyliner	Charlie Barnet Orchestra		instrumentalist, guitar

(Results 1-25 of 44 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kessel, Barney," accessed December 25, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/325149.

Kessel, Barney. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 25, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/325149.

"Kessel, Barney." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 25 December 2025.