West Coast Jazz

In 1955 the difference between East/West Coast jazz was a hot topic, with critics and fans capable of taking zealous musical alliances with one or the other. The title of this disc, West Coast Jazz, was conceived as a joke, considering all musicians involved were originally from the East Coast and did not play exclusively in the laid-back, commercially profitable, cool style, as pigeonholed by some. Stan Getz was in California for his part in the film the Benny Goodman Story, where he picked up a week long gig at Zardi's in Hollywood. The pickup band that greeted him featured a great rhythm section: Lou Levy (piano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), and Shelly Manne (drums), along with Conte Candoli (trumpet). These musicians connected with Getz immediately, having crossed paths previously…

One of the most infamously acrimonious musical unions transpired between two of the leading purveyors of West Coast cool jazz: Chet Baker (trumpet) and Stan Getz (tenor sax). Their paths crossed only a handful of times and West Coast Live captures two of their earliest encounters in Los Angeles at the Haig on June 12, 1953, and the Tiffany Club on August 17, 1953. These recordings have been issued in Europe and Japan ad infinitum in varying degrees of quality, completeness, and often sporting erroneous data. However, enthusiasts should note that West Coast Live is the only release derived from producer/engineer Dick Bock's own master reels. For two men who purportedly would rather not be in the same room at the same time, Baker and Getz are able to create some legitimately brilliant improvisation. For the Haig set, Getz had been brought in to co-lead a quartet with Baker for an incarcerated Gerry Mulligan.

Shelly Manne & His Men - West Coast Jazz In England (1960) {Solar Records 4569886 rel 2011}
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© 1960, 2011 Solar Records | 4569886
Jazz / Bop / Cool / West Coast Jazz

Digitally remastered release that contains, for the first time ever on CD, a complete live performance in Manchester by the legendary Shelly Manne quintet with Joe Gordon and Richie Kamuca. This short lived group had produced the celebrated multi-volume albums at the Blackhawk, in San Francisco, the previous year (with Victor Feldman on piano instead of Russ Freeman), as well as celebrated recordings of Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn music. The Manchester concert, which was only previously released on an extremely rare long out of print LP, showcases the quintet in high spirits, and offers a new opportunity to appreciate the talents of trumpeter Joe Gordon, who would die soon after.

Originally recorded for the Hi Fi label, this CD reissue features tenor saxophonist Richie Kamuca as the main soloist on a variety of standards and basic material arranged by Bill Holman, who plays baritone with the octet. Also heard from are trumpeters Conte Candoli and Ed Leddy, trombonist Frank Rosolino, pianist Vince Guaraldi, bassist Monty Budwig, and drummer Stan Levey. The music, although based on the West Coast, is not as cool-toned or as laid-back as one might expect. High points of the consistently swinging session include "Blue Jazz" (a Kamuca blues), "Star Eyes," "Linger Awhile," and "(Back Home Again In) Indiana."

The Most Important Jazz Album of 1964/65 was the first album trumpeter/vocalist Chet Baker recorded upon returning to the United States in 1964. Jazz had undergone a radical development post-1963 with artists such as John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter beginning to focus on complex harmonic explorations over pretty melody. Having spent the prior three years in Europe, falling deeper into heroin addiction, Baker found himself a pleasant, if somewhat forgotten, anachronism of the previous decade. Consequently, the icon of '50s cool attempted to reinvigorate his career and showcase his musical growth by enlisting the sensitive piano chops of Hal Galper and old collaborator tenor saxophonist Phil Urso. The new sideman, combined with a heavy dose of Tadd Dameron's compositions, gave Baker a more muscular edge that rubbed nicely with his trademark lyricism updating his sound for the hard bop '60s – a decade that would end, however, with Baker losing his teeth and falling into obscurity.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet was always a popular addition to the many internationally famous Jazz Musicians who appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival. Over time Brubeck made a number of appearances and These recordings date from concerts which were performed in front of a rapturous audiences in Freebody Park, Newport, Rhode Island on the 17th July 1955, 3rd of July 1958, 5th July 1959 and 7th July 1963. In the 1950s Brubeck was considered the darling of the “Cocktail Set” and no soiree was deemed complete without a background of his innovative interpretations of topical jazz themes and time signatures as evidenced in his most popular recording “Take Five”.

Conte Candoli & Lou Levy - West Coast Wailers (1955) {2012 Japan Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series 24bit WPCR-27078}
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© 1955, 2012 Atlantic / Warner Japan / Rhino | WPCR-27078 | Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series
Jazz / Bop / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Trumpet / Piano

Features 24 bit remastering and comes with a mini-description. Trumpeter Conte Candoli and pianist Lou Levy had only occasional opportunities to work as leaders before this 1955 session they recorded together for Atlantic Records. Both made the most of the chance, fronting a quintet that also included tenor saxophonist Bill Holman, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Lawrence Marable. The group got out of the gate quickly (following a contemplative piano intro, that is) on a quickstep bop reading of the Sigmund Romberg operetta tune "Lover Come Back to Me," which quickly established that a commonplace of jazz ensembles would hold – no matter whose name is in large print on the cover, it's the group that's performing, and other people will get their chance to shine, too.

Stan Getz - East Of The Sun: The West Coast Sessions 1955-1957 (1996) {3CD Set Verve 314 531 935-2}
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© 1955-57, 1996 Verve / PolyGram | 314 531 935-2
Jazz / Cool / Bop / West Coast Jazz / Saxophone

The mainstream came to know this remarkable tenor sax player via bossa nova – his unforgettable, breathy solo on "The Girl from Ipanema" propelled the song to number five in 1964 and to continued popularity to this very day, every bit as much as Astrud Gilberto's equally stunning, spare voice. But Stan Getz's involvement in this populist '60s craze actually displeased many a serious jazz enthusiast who'd admired his work in that field for more than two decades. After all, this 17-time winner of the Down Beat poll for top tenor saxophonist had already staked out a remarkable reputation, playing in the bands of such vaunted names as Stan Kenton, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Woody Herman from 1944-1949, and then leading his own bands thereafter. This three-CD box, then, finds Getz in top form as a jazz soloist and bandleader.

Art Pepper - Art Pepper Presents “West Coast Sessions!” Volume 1: Sonny Stitt (2017) {Omnivore Recordings rec 1980}
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© 1980, 2017 Omnivore Recordings
Jazz / Post Bop / West Coast Jazz / Straight-Ahead Jazz / Saxophone

In 1977 Art came back from the dead. Or so it seemed to those who followed him, followed his music. And then in 1979, the Japanese came calling in the guise of a small record label, Yupiteru, later Atlas. They wanted Art to record for them. By then, Art was under exclusive contract to Fantasy/Galaxy records and couldn’t record as a leader. However, and I think I deserve credit for this sneaky idea, he could be a “sideman.” And he could choose the “leaders.” He did six albums for Atlas with six terrific “leaders.” And they are classics, now.

Art Pepper - Art Pepper Presents “West Coast Sessions!” Volume 3: Lee Konitz (2017) {Omnivore Recordings rec 1982}
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/44.1kHz - Official Digital Download -> 392 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 140 Mb | Artwork | 5% repair rar
© 1982, 2017 Omnivore Recordings
Jazz / Post Bop / West Coast Jazz / Straight-Ahead Jazz / Saxophone

In 1977 Art came back from the dead. Or so it seemed to those who followed him, followed his music. And then in 1979, the Japanese came calling in the guise of a small record label, Yupiteru, later Atlas. They wanted Art to record for them. By then, Art was under exclusive contract to Fantasy/Galaxy records and couldn’t record as a leader. However, and I think I deserve credit for this sneaky idea, he could be a “sideman.” And he could choose the “leaders.” He did six albums for Atlas with six terrific “leaders.” And they are classics, now.