The Mark Of Jazz
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The amazing Barney Kessel is generally ranked among the greatest jazz guitarists of all time … especially known for his knowledge of chords, inversions, and chord-based melodies. When playing chords, Kessel frequently used his fretting-hand thumb, something unorthodox for most jazz players of the day. In fact, he would regularly use it to fret both the 6th and 5th strings simultaneously, creating a type of voicing rare in jazz guitar.

Below left, Barney plays the familiar standard Autumn Leaves, with (what may be) Kenny Napper on bass and John Marshall playing drums. Below right, he joins bassist Stur Nordin and drummer Pelle Hulten on Swedish television in 1974, with Minor Mode. At the bottom, also in 1974, Kessel swings along with the legendary pianist Oscar Peterson, and iconic bassist Niels-Henning Oersted Pedersen (NHOP) at Ronnie Scott’s Club in London, on Watch What Happens. When you put these guys together … just watch what happens!

When it comes to sharing the spotlight, Oscar Peterson is the poster boy. For example, at the Bern Jazz Festival in 1988 Oscar added several numbers by the incredible Carmen McRae … such as “Sometimes I’m Happy”. Peterson played piano, naturally, while Dave Young was on bass and Martin Drew on drums to round out the trio. In a more intimate setting back in 1969, the trio had Sam Jones playing drums and Bobby Durham on bass, and shared the spotlight with yet another superstar in the person of Dexter Gordon. The tune is an uptempo arrangement of “You Stepped Out Of A Dream”.

In the simplest terms … Oscar Peterson plays more notes per measure than are able to be played with only 10 fingers and 88 keys. But, he plays them just the same and makes it look easy! Joe Pass is his perfect complement, as you’ll hear in both Cakewalk, also called ‘Noreen’s Nocturne’ (The top tune) and Soft Winds (The bottom one). Notice the red circles on the music sheet … that’s what Peterson’s chart typically looks like and, if you are familiar with Oscar, you know how it sounds.

He is joined on both songs by Dave Young on bass, Martin Drew playing drums and of course the Pass magic on guitar. Are these guys having fun, or what??

In 1972 two stars collided to make wonderful music together! Of course, they didn’t do it alone. The great Ben Webster on tenor and the incomparable Oscar Peterson playing piano were joined in Hannover, Germany by Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen (Aka The Great Dane with the Never-Ending Name) with his bass, and Tony Inzalaco on drums. Here is just a sample of the results. It’s called Poutin’ … but it left the crowd smilin’ and wanting more.

John Coltrane and Stan Getz together is a rare find … especially when performing with a who’s who on the other instruments. Recorded in Germany in 1960, here is just such a combo with Oscar Peterson on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb rounding out the rhythm section on drums. The tune Hackensack is a Thelonious Monk composition, as if you couldn’t tell from the note structure.