{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Exploring the Scene! | type = Album | artist = [[Barney Kessel]], [[Shelly Manne]] & [[Ray Brown (musician)|Ray Brown]] | cover = Exploring the Scene!.jpg | alt = | released = 1960 | recorded = August 30 & 31 & September 1, 1960 | studio = Contemporary Records Studio, Los Angeles, California | venue = | genre = [[Jazz]] | length = 41:09 | label = [[Contemporary Records|Contemporary]]<small> C3581/S7581</small> | producer = [[Lester Koenig]] | chronology = [[Barney Kessel]] | prev_title = [[Barney Kessel's Swingin' Party]] | prev_year = 1960 | next_title = [[Workin' Out! with the Barney Kessel Quartet]] | next_year = 1961 }}
'''''Exploring the Scene!''''' is an album by The Poll Winners, guitarist [[Barney Kessel]] with drummer [[Shelly Manne]] and bassist [[Ray Brown (musician)|Ray Brown]], recorded in 1960 and released on the [[Contemporary Records|Contemporary]] label.<ref name="Contemporary Records discography">[http://www.jazzdisco.org/contemporary-records/catalog-3500-7500-series/#m-3581 Contemporary Records discography] accessed May 21, 2015</ref> The album was the fourth of five to be released by the group.
==Reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = ''[[Allmusic]]'' | rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="Allmusic"/> | rev2 = ''[[DownBeat]]'' | rev2score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref name=":0" /> }} The [[Allmusic]] review by [[Scott Yanow]] stated: "it may very well be their strongest program... Worth searching for".<ref name="Allmusic">{{AllMusic|first=Scott |last=Yanow |class=album |id=mw0000598811 |title=''The Poll Winners: Exploring the Scene!'' – Review |accessdate=May 21, 2015}}</ref>
The ''[[DownBeat]]'' review by [[Leonard Feather]] assigned the album 3.5 stars.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Feather |first=Leonard |date=February 16, 1961 |title=Exploring the Scene |journal=[[DownBeat]] |volume=28 |issue=4 |pages=32}}</ref> He said that "all eight tracks are performed with skill and sensitivity. Such is the mutual feeling among the men that this could be called the best one-piece trio in jazz".<ref name=":0" />
==Track listing== # "Little Susie" ([[Ray Bryant]]) - 3:56 # "The Duke" ([[Dave Brubeck]]) - 4:53 # "[[So What (Miles Davis composition)|So What]]" ([[Miles Davis]]) - 5:28 # "[[Misty (song)|Misty]]" ([[Erroll Garner]]) - 3:27 # "[[Doodlin' (Horace Silver song)|Doodlin']]" ([[Horace Silver]]) - 3:32 # "The Golden Striker" ([[John Lewis (pianist)|John Lewis]]) - 3:22 # "[[Li'l Darlin']]" ([[Neal Hefti]]) - 5:28 # "The Blessing" ([[Ornette Coleman]]) - 4:48 # "This Here" ([[Bobby Timmons]]) - 6:35
==Personnel== *[[Barney Kessel]] - [[guitar]] *[[Ray Brown (musician)|Ray Brown]] - [[double bass|bass]] *[[Shelly Manne]] - [[drum kit|drums]]
==References== {{reflist}} {{Barney Kessel}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Contemporary Records albums]] [[Category:Barney Kessel albums]] [[Category:1960 albums]]