One of the most singularly, identifiable jazz guitarists is George Barnes. Possessing a style and tone that leave an immediate lasting impression, guitar lover or not, his playing will follow the listener into memory. A musical fulfillment bestowed on a minute number of players.

Between 1953 and 1961, Barnes played and arranged for a very popular group called the “Three Suns” among many others. Their main instrumentation was electric organ, accordion and electric guitar. He recorded 61 albums with the trio.

In the 1930's Kress was in very high demand by orchestras and studios and as a result has left a significant number of recordings of his playing. It was during this period that he recorded extensively with Joe Venuti, the Boswell Sisters, Paul Whiteman and Adrian Rollini to name just a few. At the same time he was doing extensive radio work and he found time to make some duet recordings with Eddie Lang, Dick McDonough and Tony Mottola. It is these duet recordings along with those he made years later with George Barnes that established Kress' place in jazz guitar history.

Due to the popularity of the duets he made with George Barnes, Kress is often overlooked for the huge influence he had on jazz guitar and guitar playing in general. Long before he teamed up with George Barnes, he was a major figure in the transition from banjo to guitar and one of the primary exponents of an advanced chordal style and a unique style of rhythm playing that few have mastered.Source: Classic Jazz Guitar.com