Guitarist Kenny Burrell’s 1967 homage to pioneering electric Charlie Christian and bandleader and “King of the Swing” Benny Goodman, A Generation Ago Today, is now available digitally and CD for the first time ever in the United States via Verve/UMe.
The album was recorded at several sessions during 1966-67 with saxophonist Phil Woods, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Grady Tate, and sees Burrell performing swing classics that Christian recorded during 1939-41 with the Benny Goodman Sextet. As stated on a press release, “rather than merely copying Christian’s solos, Burrell plays creatively within the swing format, coming up with fresh statements of his own that add to the legacy of the timeless music.”
The tracklist includes such songs as “Poor Butterfly,” “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” and “A Smooth One.” The CD reissue of A Generation Ago Today includes the album’s original cover and new liner notes by jazz journalist Kirk Silsbee.
To order and stream A Generation Ago Today, go to https://UMe.lnk.to/KBGeneration