Kenny Poole (1947 – May 27, 2006) was an American jazz guitarist, a prominent musician on the

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

musical scene. ''Allaboutjazz.com'' referred to him as a "guitarist's guitarist" and noted his "soulful and sophisticated finger-style arrangements". He was particularly accomplished at bossa nova and chord melody solo playing.

Biography

Poole began playing the guitar at the age of 14, after hearing

Chet Atkins Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), also known as "Mister Guitar" and "the Country Gentleman", was an American musician who, along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson (musician), Bob Ferguson, helped create the Nash ...

's album '' Finger Style Guitar''. He became a professional musician in 1966. Poole was a member of James Brown's band from 1970 to 1974. During his career, he played with

Jack McDuff Eugene McDuffy (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader. He was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz ...

Tal Farlow Talmage Holt Farlow (June 7, 1921 – July 25, 1998) was an American jazz guitarist. He was nicknamed "Octopus" because of how his large, quick hands spread over the fretboard. Early life and education Talmage Holt Farlow was born in Greensb ...

Joe Pass Joe Pass (born Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalacqua; January 13, 1929 – May 23, 1994) was an American jazz guitarist. Although Pass recorded and performed live with pianist Oscar Peterson, composer Duke Ellington, and vocalist Ella Fitzgerald, he ...

Howard Alden Howard Vincent Alden (born October 17, 1958) is an American jazz guitarist born in Newport Beach, California. Alden has recorded many albums for Concord Records, including four with seven-string guitar innovator George Van Eps. Early life Ho ...

Jack Wilkins Jack Rivers Lewis (June 3, 1944 – May 5, 2023), known professionally as Jack Wilkins, was an American jazz guitarist. Career A native of New York City, Wilkins grew up listening to his parents' music, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, a ...

Groove Holmes Richard Arnold "Groove" Holmes (May 2, 1931 – June 29, 1991) was an American jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of "Misty". Career Holmes's first album, on Pacific Jaz ...

, Mark Murphy,

Barney Kessel Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist. Known in particular for his knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies, he was a member of many prominent jazz groups as well as a "first call" gu ...

Herb Ellis Mitchell Herbert Ellis (August 4, 1921 – March 28, 2010) was an American jazz guitarist. During the 1950s, he was in a trio with pianist Oscar Peterson. Biography Born in Farmersville, Texas, Ellis grew up on a farm. He was first exposed ...

Jimmy Raney James Elbert Raney (August 20, 1927 – May 10, 1995) was an American jazz guitarist, born in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, known for his work from 1951 to 1952 and then from 1953 to 1954 with the Red Norvo trio (replacing Tal Farlow) a ...

Mundell Lowe James Mundell Lowe (April 21, 1922 – December 2, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist who worked often in radio, television, and film, and as a session musician. He produced film and TV scores in the 1970s, such as the '' Billy Jack'' soundtra ...

Cal Collins Cal Collins (May 5, 1933 – August 27, 2001) was an American jazz guitarist. Born in Medora, Indiana, United States, Collins first played the mandolin professionally as a bluegrass musician in the early 1950s. After service in the Army, h ...

Jimmy Bruno James Michael Bruno (born July 22, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist from Philadelphia. Biography Born in Philadelphia, Bruno started playing guitar at the age of 7. He began his professional career at the age of 19, touring with Buddy Rich. ...

, and others. For most of his career, he supported himself playing in local bars and restaurants in Cincinnati, and preferred not to travel. In the 1980s he performed regularly with fellow Cincinnati guitarist Cal Collins as a guitar duo. Poole died of cancer in 2006. The book ''Ohio Jazz: A History of Jazz in the Buckeye State '' referred to him as "a legend in Cincinnati". In honor of Poole, the Cincinnati radio station

WVXU WVXU (91.7 FM) is a public radio station located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is owned by Cincinnati Public Radio (CPRI), which also operates station WGUC and WMUB. It airs public radio news and talk syndicated programming from NPR, American P ...

aired a two-hour special on the first anniversary of his death on May 27, 2007, featuring a range of friends and fellow musicians including Steve Schmidt and Andy Brown. In 2012, a live album featuring his solo performances at Cincinnati's Heritage Restaurant was released under the title ''Heritage''.

Discography

* ''East Meets Midwest'' with

Gene Bertoncini Gene J. Bertoncini (born 6 April 1937) is an American jazz guitarist. Biography A native of New York City, Bertoncini grew up in a musical family. His father, Mario Bertoncini (1901–1978), played guitar and harmonica. His brother Renny (1934� ...

(J Curve, 1998) * ''For George: Tribute to a Master'' (J Curve, 1999) * ''Heritage'' (Stork Music, 2012)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poole, Kenny American jazz guitarists 1947 births 2006 deaths Musicians from Cincinnati Deaths from cancer in Ohio 20th-century American guitarists Guitarists from Ohio Jazz musicians from Ohio