George Barnes
A major player who has always been underrated, George Barnes was one of the first to record on electric guitar (accompanying blues singers) and was a top studio guitarist during much of his career. His style was very much based in the 1930s, and his single-note lines predated Charlie Christian, although he had much less of an impact. A professional by the time he was 13, Barnes was working on the staff of NBC by 1938. Based in Chicago, he recorded with Big Bill Broonzy, Washboard Sam, and other blues performers. After a stint in the military during World War II, Barnes resumed his studio work and recorded radio transcriptions with his unusual octet. Although he performed in many types of settings in the 1950s, Barnes did not gain much recognition until he teamed up with fellow guitarist Carl Kress (whose sophisticated chord voicings perfectly complemented Barnes' solos) in the early '60s. After Kress' death in 1965, Barnes often collaborated with the younger guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, but it was his period as co-leader of a quartet with cornetist Ruby Braff (1973-1975) that gave Barnes his greatest fame, shortly before his death. He recorded as a leader for OKeh (two numbers in 1940); Wolf; and Keynote (with his octet on a posthumously released Hindsight LP); commercial sides for Decca and Mercury; with Kress (and in one instance Bud Freeman) for Stash, United Artists, and Audiophile; with Pizzarelli for Columbia and A&R; and in the 1970s for Famous Door and Concord.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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Country Jazz
Country - Released by Sundazed Music, Inc. on 17 Mar 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Guitars Galore (Stereo Version)
Jazz - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Electric Guitar Pioneer (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Master Tape Records on 20 Mar 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz Anthology (Original Recordings)
Jazz - Released by Miradas Records on 13 Jul 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
George Barnes: Restless Guitar Vol. 2 (1952/62 - Rhythm, Blues and Rock 'N' Roll)
Rockabilly - Released by El Toro Records on 1 Dec 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Quiet! Gibson at Work Vol. 2 - 1940/57 - Swing and Country Jazz
Blues - Released by El Toro Records on 10 Aug 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Guitar in Velvet
Jazz - Released by All Time Records on 14 Dec 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
George Barnes: Restless Guitar Vol. 1 (1952/61 - Pop, Plunk and Twang)
Pop - Released by El Toro Records on 1 Dec 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Guitar in Velvet (Classic LP)
Jazz - Released by Sandstone on 29 Mar 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sugar
Jazz - Released by Black & Partner Licenses LLC on 7 May 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Quiet! Gibson at Work Vol. 1 - 1938/48 - Blues and Country Jazz
Blues - Released by El Toro Records on 10 Aug 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
George Barnes - Jazz Master
Jazz - Released by PROFOUND on 10 Jun 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Leisure Time
Jazz - Released by LST Collector Series on 22 Aug 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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