The album “The Poll Winners” was recorded at Contemporary Records Studios in Los Angeles over a two-day span starting March 18, 1957. The name of the album (and the group) comes from the fact that the three musicians that make up the trio were all DownBeat Magazine poll winners in their respective categories. Those musicians were guitarist Barney Kessel, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Shelly Manne. The group would go on to release four more records between 1959 and 1975.

The nine tracks on the album consist mostly of standards like Ellington’s Satin Doll, Mean to Me, Jordu, Nagasaki and On Green Dolphin Street. A Kessel composition, Minor Mood, also appears on the record.

Reviews of “The Poll Winners” were generally positive. Critic Ronnie D. Lankford has written “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.”

Here is a link to a cut from the album:

"SATIN DOLL"