Kenneth Earl Burrell, born July 31, 1931, is an acclaimed American jazz guitarist celebrated for his recordings on leading jazz labels like Blue Note, Verve, Prestige, CTI, Muse, and Concord. His influential work includes collaborations with organist Jimmy Smith, notably the album Organ Grinder Swing, which became a Billboard Top Twenty hit in 1965. Inspired by jazz greats such as Charlie Christian, Oscar Moore, and Django Reinhardt, as well as blues legends T-Bone Walker and Muddy Waters, Burrell has shaped the sound of modern jazz guitar. He also serves as Professor and Director of Jazz Studies at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.