[.ca] Midnight Blue

From Amazon.com:
Kenny Burrell's music is a wonderful blend of elegance and conviction, musical inventiveness and thoughtful restraint. On this 1967 session, the guitarist is joined by regular associates--tenorist Stanley Turrentine, conga drummer Ray Barretto, bassist Major Holley, and drummer Bill English--and together they concentrate on the subtlest and deepest hues of the blues, combining strong rhythmic grooves with a feeling of late-night reflection. There's never a misstep or a superfluous note, from the funky Latin hit "Chitlins Con Carne" to Burrell's deeply felt solo "Soul Lament" and the concentrated swing of "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You." The result is a masterpiece, and the 24-bit remastering by the original engineer, Rudy Van Gelder, adds to the spaciousness and intimacy that have always been hallmarks of the session. --Stuart Broomer

good in the 5 disc player.:
Great album, a bit startled when it ended....just too soon. Talented bluesy jazz. (I always look for more rythm in an album so thats why only 4 stars.) put the disc in with 4 others and press shuffle cause ya ain't gonna wow anyone by this disc on it's own. *do buy*

Ultra-Cool Blues Masterpiece:
This recording, and "Midnight Blue" in particular, is the greatest expression of late-night "bluesy" jazz guitar playing I have ever heard in 35 years of listening. Kenny Burrell was, and is, the master of this style. His touch, tone and rhythmic placement of notes -- all are immaculate. He is joined by Stanley Turrentine on tenor, Ray Barretto on congas,Major Holley and Bill English -- a perfect group. Lots of mid-tempos and minor keys. Sometimes I listen to the "Midnight Blue" track over and over. I have transcribed most of it, chords and solo lines -- Fm7, Gm7, Abmaj7, Gm7, etc. It takes me to a different place and time. The recording is magnificent, as if the musicians are in your living room, you are lounging at your table 3 feet away, nursing a Tom Collins . . . It doesn't get any cooler.

Not one wasted note:
Kenny Burrell's playing combines the most creative chord voicings with rhythmic intensity while never compromising the overallmood of the piece. On Midnight Blue his choice of chords and his melodic playing are so fluid and bluesy in the best sense of the word. Stanley Turrentine's sax blends perfectly with Burrell's guitar to create an irresistible groove. The rhythm section is also outstanding with a special nod to Major Holley on Bass. This is one of my all-time favorites and I highly reccomend it.

Jazzy Blues or Bluesy Jazz? Who Cares?! Buy It!:
You'll never go back to silly, boring, 3-chord blues after hearing what Kenny Burrell can do. None of the songs here are really traditional blues at all, but there is a relaxed bluesy FEEL in these songs. Burrell has the most incredible guitar tone and his note placement is perfect. This music is both relaxed and low-key AND dramatic all at the same time. Listen to Soul Lament and then Midnight Blue and you'll feel it too. He's the best.

A certified classic:
This is a perfect marriage of Jazz and Blues music. While some "classic" albums are considered such more because of a single performance or two rather than the whole (i.e. Grant Green's excellent "Idle Moments"), there is not a weak track on this CD...even with the reissiue bonus tracks. Kenny Burrell simply does not play a wasted note, he fills it up in all the right places. The CD flows from the first cut to the last, the whole greater than the fantastic sum of it's parts. This would be a welcome addition to most any CD collection. Perfect for dinner/cocktail parties or headphone listening, music does not get much better than this.

• Chitlins con Carne
• Mule
• Soul Lament
• Midnight Blue
• Wavy Gravy
• Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You
• Saturday Night Blues
• Kenny's Sound
• K Twist \oNot Part Of The Original Album\c