One of my big influences (and countless others) when it comes to the blue side of jazz is Kenny Burrell.  His 1967 album, Midnight Blue is virtually a blues primer for guitarists.  I wished I had stumbled onto Mr. Burrell as a younger student of blues guitar.  It wasn’t until I started teaching myself the fundamentals of jazz that I picked up this album.

Oh, and what a revelation it came to be for me!  I had never heard so much blues infused into jazz guitar before.  I immediately identified with this guy!Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey,  this album has more than one composition,  that has gone on to become a jazz guitar classic.   Stevie Ray Vaughn knew what he was doing when he recorded his version of Chitlins Con Carne, also on this album.

Midnight Blue and K Twist are two other tunes on the album that should be acquired listening to the aspiring blues guitarist.

Kenny Burrell is still playing today and has left an amazing discography of some wonderful music in his wake. My son recently gave me an amazing collection of his recordings. I will never take for granted the amount of guitar information and wisdom this one man has gifted to us.  Thank you Mr. Burrell!