The Poll Winners

The Poll Winners is an album by jazz guitarist Barney Kessel with drummer Shelly Manne and bassist Ray Brown that was recorded in 1957 and released by Contemporary Records.^[1] The album was the first of five to be released by the group.

The Poll Winners
Studio album by Barney Kessel with Shelly Manne and Ray Brown
Released	1957
Recorded	March 18 & 19, 1957
Studio	Contemporary Records Studio, Los Angeles, California
Genre	Jazz
Length	40:35
Label	Contemporary
Producer	Lester Koenig
Barney Kessel chronology
Music to Listen to Barney Kessel By (1956) The Poll Winners (1957) Let's Cook! (1957)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Down Beat	^[2]
Allmusic	^[3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	^[4]

The Allmusic review by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. states: "The choice of material, the interplay between the three players, and the lead work all meld together beautifully on The Poll Winners, making it a classic guitar album in a small-group setting".^[3]

Track listing

1. "Jordu" (Duke Jordan) - 3:27
2. "Satin Doll" (Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Johnny Mercer) - 6:30
3. "It Could Happen to You" (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke) - 4:23
4. "Mean to Me" (Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk) - 6:28
5. "Don't Worry 'bout Me" (Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler) - 4:34
6. "On Green Dolphin Street" (Bronisław Kaper, Ned Washington) - 4:02
7. "You Go to My Head" (J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie) - 4:22
8. "Minor Mood" (Barney Kessel) - 3:18
9. "Nagasaki" (Harry Warren, Mort Dixon) - 3:05

Personnel

• Barney Kessel - guitar
• Ray Brown - bass
• Shelly Manne - drums

References

1. Contemporary Records discography accessed May 21, 2015
2. Down Beat: January 9, 1958 Vol. 25, No. 1
3. Lankford Jr., Ronnie D.. The Poll Winners – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
4. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 821. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.