GUITAR EUREKA !

GITARRE EUREKA! GUITARE EUREKA! GITAAR EUREKA! CHITARRA EUREKA! ギター EUREKA! κιθάρα EUREKA! 기타 EUREKA! GUITARRA ERUREKA! гитара EUREKA! 吉他 EUREKA!

Wednesday 16 February 2011

POST # 497 George Barnes on being a session player

Good heavens, I did a ton of recording dates! In 1935, I started recording with the top black blues artists of that time. I made over one hundred blues records with fellows like Big Bill Broonzy, Blind John Davis, and a host of other bluesmen. I was the only white musician on these dates. Hughes Panassie, the French author of the jazz book, Le Jazz Hot, came out with a discography which included me as "the great Negro blues guitar player from Chicago." I did all kinds of recording dates. But I got even more involved with recordings when I moved to New York in 1951.

Between 1951 and now, I have recorded 23 albums under my own name. From 1953 to 1961, I recorded 61 albums with the Three Suns alone. From 1961 to the present, I have recorded with practically every bigname singing star from Frank Sinatra to Bing Crosby, Patti Page, and loads more. It would be very difficult to find a singing star I haven't recorded with. They tell me down at the union, that I have recorded more than any other person in their contract file. I don't know how many recording dates I've done, but one day I intend to add them up. I know the number is well into the thousands.

It is probably because I am totally involved with all aspects of music. Not only am I a guitarist, but an arranger, conductor, and recording engineer, with years of knowledge and experience behind me. I've also developed ways of accompanying artists that enhances and enriches their music. You have to know how a singer phrases so your accompaniment does not conflict. As an arranger, I have a whole different set of ears from someone who is just a guitarist. I have a better knowledge of what to play and what not to play.


3 comments:

  1. hi, guitar eureka...i'm george's daughter alexandra, and appreciate your appreciation of my dad and his work. i'm a writer-producer in los angeles and recently produced my father's never-before released recording of the bach fugue in g minor (http://theartofsoundgallery.com). i am currently producing a comprehensive transmedia project titled THE GEORGE BARNES LESGACY COLLECTION. would be happy to stay in touch with you.
    cheers,
    alexandra barnes leh

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Alexandra, sounds like an excellent undertaking of your father's work. The Bach fugue sounds fantastic on your website.

    Your father must had a million amazing tales about all the talents he worked with, its mind boggling! He is of course a legend in his own right among guitar players :)

    Thanks for dropping by my silly blog come back often !

    Cheers

    Henry ( Guitar Eureka )

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi, Henry -- it's Alexandra Barnes Leh, again, dropping in to let you know that THE GEORGE BARNES LEGACY COLLECTION website has gone live -- http://georgebarneslegacy.com -- would love to have you take a look, share with your compadres, and partake of the ever-evolving content on the site, as well as the pieces of the legacy you all can own! All my best,
    Alexandra

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...