Jump to content

LF: Kenny Burrell photos


Jim R

Recommended Posts

I'd like to ask a favor of anybody out there who might be able to help without going to too much trouble. I'm interested in finding photos of Kenny Burrell, partly just because he's my favorite guitarist and I enjoy looking at different shots of him; and partly because I'm interested in tracking the different instruments he's used over the years (during the era in question, he went through some Gibsons- ES175D's-> L5 custom (bar pickup) ->; a D'Angelico New Yorker; and perhaps an Epiphone Emperor).

I've already done a Google Image search, which was fairly productive, but I'd still like to see what else I can turn up. I'm particularly interested in the late 1950's thru the 60's. Photos from recording sessions would be particularly great. I have some books of jazz photography that contain a few shots of KB, but there are at least a few I've seen in bookstores that I didn't buy. One of these showed Burrell and Jimmy Smith at a recording session (for Verve, if memory serves).

So, if anybody out there has the ability to scan and post images, I would be very grateful to see any photos that might be deemed rare/uncommon. FWIW, I have the BN coffee table book of Francis Wolff's photos, and almost all of KB's own LP's/CD's, but not everything he did as a sideman.

I know this is a bit of a longshot, but thanks in advance if you have anything you can share. :)

I'll post some shots I've found from this era, beginning with an early 60's photo (one of several included in the "Moten Swing" CD reissue):

1423662.jpg

Here's one I found yesterday, which I had never seen before:

kennyburrell.jpg

... and one of my favorites, by Lee Tanner:

Kenny.jpg

With the aforementioned Epiphone:

Kennyb.gif

Edited by Jim R
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another fairly uncommon shot, from a Japan-only release:

kb_blues.gif

The hard-to-find Columbia vocal & guitar LP, thankfully reissued on vinyl a few years ago:

burrell,kennyweaverofdreams.jpg

This one (the guitar, that is) has had me stumped for a few years. Perhaps not KB's guitar...

Burrellbig2.jpg

This may be into the early 70's (not sure). Super 400. Anybody know who the bassist is?

Kenny%20Burrell1.jpg

Edited by Jim R
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jim:

I can't deal with my scanner-either the image is too big or it gets saved as a type that won't upload. Totally annoying. Anyway, I'll e-mail the scan to you so you can at least see it.

In the meantime, may I ask where the KB/Grant/Kessell picture came from? That's a concert I'd have wanted to attend!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dan, I got the Burrell/Kessel/Green photo from Here. Lots of interesting photos from shows in the UK. There's a jazz guitar video (now on DVD, I think) that's been in circulation for years, of those three playing one tune (a blues by Kessel) at a club (Ronnie Scott's?) in England, circa 1969 or so. The photo above may be the same location, but I think it's a different (later) performance, probably early 70's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Up for air...

Looks like some of my linked images have gone dead (I've edited them).

Can anybody add anything to this? I'm especially interested in shots from the 50's and 60's. I was just listening to KB on Illinois Jacquet's "Desert Winds" on Argo, and wondering again about any photos (or video!?) of KB that may have survived from that era (circa '64).

I think there was a shot of KB inside the foldout cover of Terry Gibbs "Take It From Me" (Impulse) LP... haven't seen that in years.

Edited by Jim R
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks again, Marcello. You may want to look at the ones I've already posted though. ;) I'm not too interested in KB's own LP covers and such... I've got all those. The photo with McFarland is new to me, so thanks in particular for that one. :cool: That last one is nice, too. Not sure if I'd already seen that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

I was googling for some info on KB today, and I happened to notice a link to a Youtube video ( KB / Midnight Blue ). The thumbnail image posted for the video was something I'd never seen before, so I investigated immediately. Unfortunately, the "video" is one of these Youtube "slideshows" (I have a bit of a problem with the proliferation of these, as most of them offer nothing other than audio and still photos- most of which are very common). Fortunately, a couple of the still photos are what I would consider to be relatively rare. I'll attempt to attach them below...

post-115-1249077072_thumb.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Second shot...

Btw, the fascinating thing here for me is the fact that the guitar in these photos is something of a transition guitar for KB. It's a customized Gibson instrument, something of a hybrid between the ES-175 model he had used in the late 50's, and the customized L5 that he used around 1962 to 1964. The guitar in these photos looks to have had an L5 neck/fingerboard attached to an ES-175 body. The "Charlie Christian" pickup was likely a customization (can't see what the bridge pickup is, but I assume it's a P-90, which would have been standard on the 175). The "6-finger" tailpiece and string damper (near the nut) are unusual for that era, and the pickguard is not a stock item. Anyway, guitar hounds may find some of this interesting... or not. ;) Bottom line- what a sound, and what a player. Happy Birthday, KB.

post-115-1249077788_thumb.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...