West Coast Live

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.

CD box set release from Jimi Hendrix consisting four CDs filled with lots of unreleased and rare tracks. This edition includes a bonus DVD with documentary newly taken by Bob Smeaton (famous with the film "Festival Express").

Howard McGhee - West Coast 1945-1947 (2013) {Uptown Records UPCD27.74}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 275 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 160 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 36 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1945-47, 2013 Uptown Records | UPCD27.74
Jazz / Bop / Trumpet

The superb compilation West Coast 1945-1947 brings together various studio and live radio broadcasts from bop jazz trumpeter Howard McGhee. Born in Tulsa and raised in Detroit, McGhee was a powerhouse bop trumpeter in the vein of Fats Navarro and Dizzy Gillespie. He was also a melodicist, which meant that he was capable of soloing with both dazzling technical proficiency and gorgeous romantic lyricism. One of the few bop musicians to relocate to California during the '40s, McGhee even backed Charlie Parker on some Dial sessions during the saxophonist's West Coast tour at about the same time he made the recordings featured here.

The West Coast has produced some of the greatest sounds the jazz world has ever witnessed. This live concert captures some of the pioneers of the style in full flow, as they take to the stage in a specially organized event to mark the 50th year of West Coast jazz.

Shelly Manne & His Men - West Coast Jazz In England (1960) {Solar Records 4569886 rel 2011}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 217 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 136 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 25 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 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.