Barney Kessel was one of jazz's most identifiable guitarists, best known for playing with session band The Wrecking Crew in the ‘60s and on too many soundtracks to count. As a bandleader, he came into his own back in the '50s, smoothly slipping between the swing and bop traditions. His deliciously relaxed rendition of “Autumn Leaves” reveals his genius for warm, chord-based melodies, and the uptempo “Happy Feeling” epitomizes the effortless, finger-snapping buoyancy of his playing. Kessel believed in simplicity, best heard in his 1961 arrangement of “Moon River,” a minimalist lullaby topped off with Bud Shank's sleepy flute.