In 1963, Kenny Burrell recorded Midnight Blue for Blue Note – an album in which the warm sound of his guitar and Stanley Turrentine’s full-bodied tenor saxophone explore music with deep blues roots, a distinct rhythmic pulse and subtle lyricism. Compositions such as Chitlins con Carne, Soul Lament and Saturday Night Blues reveal different aspects of his musical voice: memorable melodies, rich harmonies and phrasing that allows the music to breathe. More than six decades later, Midnight Blue remains one of the landmark recordings in the history of jazz guitar.
On 17 November, In The Mood Jazz Club presents MIDNIGHT MOOD – A Tribute to the Music of Kenny Burrell. Conceived by drummer Georgi Ivanov, the project makes its live debut with guitarist Vilizar Gichev, tenor saxophonist Alexandros Krasidis and double bassist Samuil Daskalov. The programme features music from Midnight Blue, alongside compositions from other notable albums and Burrell’s recordings with John Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins.
Among the most influential jazz guitarists of his generation, Kenny Burrell developed a distinctive artistic identity in which the expressiveness of the blues intertwines with the fluid melodic lines and harmonic language of bebop. Having worked with Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Billie Holiday and Jimmy Smith, he has built an extensive discography of more than 90 albums as a leader and was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2005. His mastery is evident in the clarity of his melodic ideas, the nuances of his sound and the way a brief phrase can convey the full emotional depth of a composition. Burrell creates music that is accessible on first hearing and rewards listeners with every subsequent listen.
He expressed this musical philosophy in an interview with Wolf Marshall for Vintage Guitar:
“In blues and in jazz, the most important aspect of communicating your music is honesty.”
Kenny Burrell
In Midnight Mood, the guitar and tenor saxophone take the leading melodic roles, while the double bass and drums shape the rhythm and dynamics of the performance. The four musicians will interpret this repertoire through their own artistic outlook and sensibility, with room to take their solos in new directions and develop ideas in response to one another. On 17 November, Burrell’s music will take shape through their choices of tempo, phrasing and ensemble sound – a personal reading of a body of work that continues to attract new performers and listeners.