At very best Barney Kessel is a tangential figure in the history of jazz. Apart from not being too well known outside of some inner, nerdy circle of jazz fetishists, Kessel didn’t spur on the evolution of the music. And it could even be said that he lagged behind some of those changes, not noticing or caring too much about them even to incorporate a modicum of forwardness in his playing. All of that said, he’s still a pretty decent player. No one would mistake his performance for that of Grant Green or Wes Montgomery – although the tone of that latter player would make for a good bookmark of Kessel’s style. This lesser known guitarist, though, apparently went through a period of critical acclaim during the mid to late fifties. And even if that was a fleeting moment over half a century ago, a few albums of his to lend an air of staid sophistication that jazz might have lacked at the time.

Before and even during the time that Kessel saw his ability to lead recording sessions balloon, he was a part of a loose knit group of players called the Wrecking Crew, which also included Leon Russell and Dr. John. Much like the Funk Brothers or the Memphis Horns, the Wrecking Crew was simply an assemblage of hired guns. Functioning out of Los Angeles, though, allowed for Kessell and his brethren to get in on Hollywood gems as well as television – the Monkees for example.

While keeping himself liquid in this manner, Kessel eventual won a spate of awards in ’56 from Down Beat, Playboy and a variety of other magazines touting his guitar prowess. Shelley Manne as well as Ray Brown found themselves in similar positions and the three decided to begin recording as a unit. Using The Poll Winners as an umbrella under which to record, the trio set down three discs between ’57 and ’59. And while the band no doubt met with positive reviews, the almost thirty songs of these discs only counted five originals from group members. So it would seem that even as their ability to play was evident, their creative juices were not.

The middle venture from this trio of recordings, The Poll Winners Ride Again, is a pretty bland example of what was going on in jazz during the decade after bop exploded, but before the spiritual and overwhelming freedom of the ‘60s had kicked in. Over the albums nine tracks, the most notable offering actually comes in as the last track. “The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down” begins with Shelly Manne’s fills before Kessel’s childlike melody kicks in. The track is mostly remarkable for the tempo the band keeps. And while Kessel isn’t known for being a muscular player, he seems to dive into his work here running between keys and taking up a great deal of space in this small group setting. The date isn’t void of charm, although these tracks basically function as nine reasons why Kessel isn’t the most well known name in the genre any longer.