Kenny Burrell – Guitar Forms

One guitar, many possibilities

Kenny Burrell’s Guitar Forms announces its idea in its title. The guitar appears in several different settings: in front of an orchestra, within a small group and entirely on its own. Released by Verve in 1965, the album was recorded across sessions between December 1964 and April 1965, with Creed Taylor producing. Burrell remains the central voice throughout, while the musical surroundings are allowed to change substantially.

That variety is part of the attraction. A compact combo performance can give way to an extended orchestral piece, and the electric guitar shares the programme with a classical instrument. Listeners who know Burrell primarily through his blues playing have an opportunity to explore more of his musical imagination. The blues provides a point of departure for a record willing to travel in several directions.

Gil Evans and the colours around a melody

Gil Evans arranged and conducted the orchestral selections. Their documented instrumentation brings brass together with a particularly varied woodwind palette, including flutes, English horn, bass clarinet and bassoon. One rewarding way into these performances is to follow the changing background as closely as the solo guitar: how does a melody take on a different character as its surroundings change?

Some sources give alternative names for individual orchestral chairs. Our personnel list identifies those uncertainties rather than treating every name as equally secure. The central collaboration is clear, however: Burrell’s guitar meets Evans’ approach to the orchestra as a flexible source of colour. At around nine and a half minutes, Lotus Land gives that relationship the greatest space. Moon And Sand and Last Night When We Were Young also belong to this orchestral part of the programme.

From the small group to the solo instrument

Roger Kellaway, Joe Benjamin, Grady Tate and Willie Rodriguez join Burrell on Downstairs, Terrace Theme and Breadwinner. The writing credits add another point of interest: Downstairs is by Elvin Jones, while Terrace Theme comes from Joe Benjamin. The repertoire reaches beyond familiar standards to include music written by fellow players.

The excerpt from Gershwin’s Prelude #2 offers a different perspective, with Burrell playing alone. His own Loie also features classical guitar, while the traditional Greensleeves receives a Gil Evans arrangement. Across these changes of scale, the guitarist’s personality provides continuity. Listen for the choices a soloist makes when accompaniment becomes more elaborate, more compact, or disappears entirely. Those contrasts are at the heart of this album’s appeal.

Guitar Forms in the Acoustic Sounds Series

This 2024 Verve/UMe Acoustic Sounds Series edition is a stereo 180-gram LP playing at 33⅓ RPM. Ryan K. Smith handled mastering at Sterling Sound, and Quality Record Pressings manufactured the record. The presentation includes a Stoughton tip-on gatefold jacket. The publisher identifies original analogue tapes as the source.

Those details describe this particular edition without extending the source claim into an unsupported account of every production stage. The lasting invitation is musical: nine pieces that encourage attention to strings, instrumental colours and the meeting of Burrell’s and Evans’ distinctive imaginations. Guitar Forms rewards the listener willing to let a guitar lead through more than one kind of landscape.

You order from Michael 45 in Germany. We arrange the US import and dispatch from Hilden.

More by Kenny Burrell: “Kenny Burrell” · Bluesey Burrell

Series: Verve – all 34 records: voices, organ and bossa nova

Musicians

Participants and documented credit status. Track references correspond to the tracklist.

• Kenny BurrellguitarParticipation: Album personnel
• Roger KellawaypianoParticipation: A1, A3, B5
• Joe BenjaminbassParticipation: A1, A3, B5
• Grady TatedrumsParticipation: A1, A3, B5
• Willie RodriguezcongaParticipation: A1, A3, B5
• Gil Evansarrangement, bandleaderParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4, B3
• Johnny ColestrumpetParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4 · alternative, see credits
• Louis MuccitrumpetParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4 · alternative, see credits
• Jimmy ClevelandtromboneParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4
• Jimmy KneppertromboneParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4
• Ray AlongeFrench hornParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4 · alternative, see credits
• Julius WatkinsFrench hornParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4 · alternative, see credits
• Bill BarbertubaParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4
• Andy Fitzgeraldflute, English hornParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4
• George Margeflute, English hornParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4
• Ray Beckensteinflute, alto flute, bass clarinetParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4
• Bob Tricaricobassoon, tenor saxophone, fluteParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4
• Steve Lacysoprano saxophoneParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4
• Lee Konitzalto saxophoneParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4
• Richie Kamucatenor saxophone, oboeParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4
• Ron CarterbassParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4
• Elvin JonesdrumsParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4 · alternative, see credits
• Charlie PersipdrumsParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4 · alternative, see credits
• José Mangual Sr.percussionParticipation: A2, B1, B2, B4 · supplementary encyclopedia only

Orchestral sources give alternatives: Johnny Coles or Louis Mucci, Ray Alonge or Julius Watkins, Elvin Jones or Charlie Persip. José Mangual Sr. appears only in a supplementary encyclopedia. Individual personnel for Greensleeves remain unconfirmed. A4 is Kenny Burrell solo.