Search - Kenny Burrell :: Round Midnight

This is the meaning of "COOL"!

P.J. Le Faucheur | Canada (ex- U.K. resident) | 02/22/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I originally bought it on vinyl back in 1973 when it was first issued. I wore out 2 copies of the vinyl and when i went back for my third copy they told me it had been deleted!!--i nearly cried all the way to my bus stop!!

I remember writing to "Fantasy Records" , begging them to release this one on CD. Well, here it is folks,and i've bought about 3 copies of it just in case they start wearing out again!

Please let me state that if it's lightning speed you like in jazz guitar playing don't consider this c.d.

Although Burrell CAN play at frenetic speeds (check out "BLUE LIGHTS" volumes 1 & II , or "All Day Long/All Night Long" ) this is not his aim.

Burrells goal has always been to acheive feel, soulfulness and emotion and he succeeds EVERY time

whereas hundreds of other guitar players fail miserably.

If you are looking for a beautifully,BLUESY, relaxed setting, with plenty of gorgeous Fender Rhodes electric piano (by Joe Sample ) then this one is yours. The atmosphere Kenny creates here well matches the album title 100%! It's high quality "dinner jazz" but with a cool blues edge.

If you are a rock or blues guitarist reading this review please note this is the guy who was a HUGE influence on Stevie Ray Vaughan (listen to Stevies homage to him on the track "Chitlins Con Carne" on his c.d. "The Sky is Crying"!)

and Kenny Burrell influenced Hendrix as well who was noted as saying " if there's anyone i would love to sound like it would be Kenny Burrell" What drew these two rockers into Kenny's space was Burrells unique feel for the Blues. Even though he plays Blues with the sophistication and finesse of a classical guitarist Kenny still maintains a downhome, lonesome edge. Kenny, Herb Ellis and a few others are the only surviving jazz guitarists from the "old school" and constitute a direct link with Charlie Christian . Listen out for the first track " Streetcar Named Desire"...and an INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL lonesome, terrace- top setting for Johnny Mercer's " Blues In The Night". Kenny's adaptation of Randy Newmans classic "I Think It's Gonna Rain Today" is soulful.

"Since I Fell For You" has Kenny preaching the Blues again.

You won't be disappointed if you get this CD."

This is one of the very best Burrel recordings.

Brian Kelly | Music City, TN USA | 08/13/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This often overlooked CD is probably the very best all around recording of Kenny's. It's got everything! It's bluesy and beautiful and the material is very well rounded. The tune "Since I Fell For You" sounds like it could have been written for Kenny and "'Round Midnight" maybe the definitive version of an often recorded masterpiece. Buy this record. You won't regret it."

No Nosense JazzGuitar

Anders Jonasson | Bankeryd Sweden | 11/29/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is jazzguitarplaying when it is at it s best,,,there is no flashy arrangements just 4 muscicians playing from deep within creating beautiful music. Burrell has the blues feeling and deep rhythm combined with harmonic sophistication and the ability to set a mood with his lyricism... this is very evident in tunes like "Make Someone Happy" and " Since I fell for you"
Fellow jazzguitarist Tal Farlow said on Burrell " I can spot his playing anywhere.His chord conception is wonderful and you are always aware of the harmonic movement in his work. That is particulary evident in his single line string solos..he is just one of the greats"
So much for Farlow...I think that this recording is one of the very best Burrell done..it almost reaches his masterpiece "God Bless teh Child" from the year before.
One little interesting thing is that the Randy Newman song "I Think it is going to rain today" was recorded by Larry Goldings and Peter Bernstein 30 years later and appears on Goldings "MoonBird"
I might be wrong..but I think they heard Burrells version prior to that recording."