Uploaded February 2015 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
THOSE MAGNIFICENT MEN AND THEIR MUSIC MACHINES - 5
Harald Bode (October 19, 1909 – January 15, 1987)
Bode was a German engineer and pioneer in the development of electronic music instruments. Among his inventions are the Melodium (1938), the Multimonica (1940) and the Melochord (1947-1949). Bode also invented a number of audio processors such as the Ring modulator and the Frequency shifter. He was the director of Bode Sound Company (1950s).
BARNEY KESSEL
Barney Kessel was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Noted 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. Kessel is known for his innovative work in the guitar trio setting. In the 1950s, he made a series of albums called The Poll Winners with Ray Brown on bass and Shelly Manne on drums. He was also the guitarist on the album Julie Is Her Name (1955) by Julie London, which includes the standard "Cry Me a River"; this million-selling song features a guitar part from Kessel which illustrates his melodic chordal approach in a minimal jazz group. Also from the 1950s, his three Kessel Plays Standards volumes contain some of his most polished work.
Kessel was a "first call" guitarist at Columbia Pictures during the 1960s, and became one of the most in-demand session guitarists in America, and is considered a key member of the group of first-call session musicians now usually known as The Wrecking Crew In this capacity he played on hundreds of famous pop recordings, including albums and singles by Phil Spector, The Beach Boys, The Monkees and many others
In 1961 The Gibson Guitar Corporation introduced The Barney Kessel model guitar onto the market and continued to make them until 1973.
THEY CANNOT TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME
"They Can't Take That Away from Me" is a 1937 song written by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1937 film Shall We Dance.
The song was covered by numerous crooners and female singers of the fifties and sixties and featured on the repertoire list of many bands and orchestras.
MHO
A fabulous up tempo arrangement of the Gershwin classic with Kessel accompanied by a large big band. The infectious rhythm makes it hard to keep your feet still ; at the same time your ears can enjoy a polished stereo sound with great outbursts by the bands' brass section. When it comes to the improvisation part, Kessel hits the nail on the head (or should we say "the finger on the string" ;-) ?-) Enjoy.
THOSE MAGNIFICENT MEN AND THEIR MUSIC MACHINES - 5
Harald Bode (October 19, 1909 – January 15, 1987)
Bode was a German engineer and pioneer in the development of electronic music instruments. Among his inventions are the Melodium (1938), the Multimonica (1940) and the Melochord (1947-1949). Bode also invented a number of audio processors such as the Ring modulator and the Frequency shifter. He was the director of Bode Sound Company (1950s).
BARNEY KESSEL
Barney Kessel was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Noted 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. Kessel is known for his innovative work in the guitar trio setting. In the 1950s, he made a series of albums called The Poll Winners with Ray Brown on bass and Shelly Manne on drums. He was also the guitarist on the album Julie Is Her Name (1955) by Julie London, which includes the standard "Cry Me a River"; this million-selling song features a guitar part from Kessel which illustrates his melodic chordal approach in a minimal jazz group. Also from the 1950s, his three Kessel Plays Standards volumes contain some of his most polished work.
Kessel was a "first call" guitarist at Columbia Pictures during the 1960s, and became one of the most in-demand session guitarists in America, and is considered a key member of the group of first-call session musicians now usually known as The Wrecking Crew In this capacity he played on hundreds of famous pop recordings, including albums and singles by Phil Spector, The Beach Boys, The Monkees and many others
In 1961 The Gibson Guitar Corporation introduced The Barney Kessel model guitar onto the market and continued to make them until 1973.
THEY CANNOT TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME
"They Can't Take That Away from Me" is a 1937 song written by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1937 film Shall We Dance.
The song was covered by numerous crooners and female singers of the fifties and sixties and featured on the repertoire list of many bands and orchestras.
MHO
A fabulous up tempo arrangement of the Gershwin classic with Kessel accompanied by a large big band. The infectious rhythm makes it hard to keep your feet still ; at the same time your ears can enjoy a polished stereo sound with great outbursts by the bands' brass section. When it comes to the improvisation part, Kessel hits the nail on the head (or should we say "the finger on the string" ;-) ?-) Enjoy.
