Artist page · 04/07/2026
About
11 vinyl LPs including iconic 'Midnight Blue'—original pressings reach up to €217.
Kenny Burrell's guitar style is anchored in blues and bebop, reflecting influences from guitar legends such as Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, and Wes Montgomery. His early career began in Detroit with a first recording as a sideman in Dizzy Gillespie's sextet in 1951. After moving to New York in 1956, he toured and recorded with various jazz luminaries, all while cultivating a strong solo career. Burrell has recorded approximately 40 albums, reaching from the 1950s through decades beyond, with titles spanning "Midnight Blue" (1963), "Blue Lights," and "Guitar Forms." An educator, he served as Director of Jazz Studies at UCLA starting 2007.
Discography
Studio albums, EPs and notable live records, from newest to oldest. Drag the timeline to browse.
Verve Records · 1968
Verve Records · 1967
Cadet · 1967
Cadet · 1966
Cadet · 1966
Verve Records · 1965
Roulette · 1965
Verve Records · 1965
Riverside Records · 1965
Status Records · 1965
Prestige · 1965
Status Records · 1965
Prestige · 1964
Prestige · 1964
Prestige · 1964
Blue Note · 1963
Verve Records · 1963
Moodsville · 1963
Verve Records · 1963
Riverside Records · 1963
New Jazz · 1963
Columbia · 1961
Bethlehem Records · 1961
Argo · 1960
Blue Note · 1960
New Jazz · 1959
Blue Note · 1958
Blue Note · 1958
New Jazz · 1958
Savoy Records · 1957
Prestige · 1957
Blue Note · 1957
Prestige · 1957
Regent · 1957
Prestige · 1957
Prestige · 1957
Blue Note · 1956
Savoy Records · 1956Blue Note · 1956
Music Minus One · Playlist
The tracks that sum up Kenny Burrell's career.
The essentials
Our pick, validated by the editorial team.
A defining soul-jazz album produced on Blue Note, famous for its warm, blues-inflected guitar and seven tightly arranged tracks.
A collaboration with John Coltrane featuring five tracks blending hard bop and jazz improvisation, released originally on New Jazz label.
An early hard bop session on Blue Note with four tracks capturing Burrell’s mature technique and interplay with leading jazz musicians.
Go further
Artists who share part of Kenny Burrell's musical DNA.
Collectors
The hidden side of the catalogue: rare pressings, sought-after matrices, Discogs values.
For each reference edition, these cards summarise the state of the global Discogs market. Market position places the average price of a copy between the observed min and max prices. Average price is the price seen for a mint-condition copy. Copies available counts listings currently for sale. Collectors who want it is the number of Discogs users who added it to their wantlist without owning it — a good signal of upcoming demand.
The “Why this rarity” column comes from our upstream sourcing work: for each album, we explain what makes this pressing sought after by collectors (limited run, specific matrix, withdrawn edition…).
Face B
Studio secrets, touring anecdotes and B-sides worth the whole album.
"His guitar playing is a nuanced blend of blues and bebop, admired by peers and students alike."— Jazz Scholar Commentary
This original pressing on New Jazz (cat no. NJ 8276) features a mono format LP from 1963, highly sought after with a 2.1:1 want/have ratio and 10 copies for sale at around €20 minimum.
The 1963 original mono pressing of 'Midnight Blue' on Blue Note (BLP 4123) currently shows prices from €43.47 up to €217.5, with 12 copies for sale demonstrating strong collector demand.
Kenny Burrell recorded for the first time as a sideman with Dizzy Gillespie's sextet in 1951, marking the start of his recording career while still a student in Detroit.
In 2007, Kenny Burrell took on the position of Director of Jazz Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, reaffirming his commitment to jazz education.
FAQ
The most common questions about pressings, reissues and limited editions.
'Midnight Blue' from 1963 is one of the most popular and widely available Kenny Burrell albums on vinyl, noted for its soulful jazz guitar work.
Kenny Burrell was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in 1931.
Burrell is known for playing styles rooted in blues, bebop, hard bop, and soul-jazz.
Original pressings, especially from the 1960s on labels like Blue Note and New Jazz, can command high prices among collectors.
Labels include Blue Note, Prestige, New Jazz, Verve, and Cadet among others.
Look for original label markings, cat numbers like BLP 4123 or NJ 8276, mono format, and release date in the early 1960s.
Yes, some pressings and reissues have been distributed in European markets, including France.
His collaborations with John Coltrane are among the most noted, especially the 1963 'Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane' album.
Transparency
This page is compiled by the vinyles.com editorial team from public sources and our marketplace.
[title]
[message]Love it? Add to your wishlist
Your favorites, all in one place. Shop quickly and easily with the wishlist feature!
