Vol. 3: To Swing or Not to Swing

Personnel: Barney Kessel (guitar); George Auld, Bill Perkins (tenor saxophone); Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet); Jimmy Rowles (piano); Al Hendrickson (guitar); Red Mitchell (bass); Irv Cottler, Shelly Manne (drums).
Recorded in Los Angeles, California on March 28 & July 26, 1955. Originally released on Contemporary (3513). Includes original liner notes by Ralph J. Gleason.
Personnel: Barney Kessel (guitar); Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet); Jimmy Rowles (piano).
Liner Note Author: Hal Rosen.
Guitarist Barney Kessel's string of recordings for Contemporary in the 1950s included some of the finest work of his career. The unusual repertoire on this set -- which includes "Louisiana," "Indiana," and "12th Street Rag," along with four Kessel originals and more usual standards -- would by itself make this bop/cool set noteworthy. Add to that a very interesting lineup of players (trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, Georgie Auld or Bill Perkins on tenor, pianist Jimmy Rowles, the rhythm guitar of Al Hendrickson, bassist Red Mitchell, and Shelly Manne or Irv Cottler on drums) and some excellent showcases for Kessel, and the overall result is a recording highly recommended to fans of straight-ahead jazz. ~ Scott Yanow