Wind Cal

Verve Records was originally the product of the vision of jazz impressario Norman Granz (1918-2001). He formed the label in 1956 and moved all of the recordings released on his earlier Norgran Records and Clef Records labels to create the new Verve catalog.

Here is Vince Guaraldi’s breakthrough album — musically, commercially, in every which way. After numerous records as a leader or sideman, for the first time a recognizable Guaraldi piano style emerges, with whimsical phrasing all his own, a madly swinging right hand and occasional boogie-influenced left hand, and a distinctive, throat-catching, melodic improvisational gift.

Scott Hamilton - From The Beginning (2002) {2CD Set, Concord Jazz ‎CCD2-2117-2 rec 1977-1978}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 493 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 195 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 29 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1977-78, 2002 Concord Jazz ‎| CCD2-2117-2
Jazz / Mainstream Jazz / Saxophone

Whoever decided to name '50s-style, small combo jazz "mainstream" did a disservice to saxophonists like Scott Hamilton. The word sounds safe and soulless. And while Hamilton will never be mistaken for John Coltrane, he's no throwback to some fondly remembered (and forgotten) era. From the Beginning combines the oddly titled Scott Hamilton Is a Good Wind Who is Blowing Us No Ill from 1977 and Scott Hamilton, 2 from 1978. Hamilton's first Concord album predated the Young Lions by a couple of years, and must have seemed like a fresh breeze in the midst of the fusion meltdown. Both discs feature small combos with pianist Nat Pierce, bassist Monty Budwig, and drummer Jake Hanna.

Bud Shank & Bob Cooper - Mosaic Select 10 (1954-58) [3CD] {2004 Mosaic Records 24-bit Remaster by Ron McMaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 960 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 484 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 30 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster by Ron McMaster
© 2004 Pacific Jazz / Mosaic Records / EMI Records | MS-010
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Flute / Saxophone

This excellent 3-CD set collects two 10" albums by Shank and 4 12" albums co-led by Shank and Cooper, all for the Pacific Jazz/World Pacific labels between 1954-58. The West Coast cool school was at its height at this time, and both Bud Shank and Bob Cooper were in the thick of it. The first disc gets off to a rousing start with the marvelously swinging VALVE IN HEAD from 1954, with Bud playing fluid alto sax. He's joined by three valve trombone players (Bob Enevoldsen, Stu Williamson, and the ringer Maynard Ferguson) on this tune and for the first half of the disc, an interesting concept. The second half finds him with Coop at Cal Tech in 1959. Count Basie's THE KING gets a rousing airing, and there's a nicely done ballad medley.

Bud Shank & Bob Cooper - Mosaic Select 10 (2004) [3CD Box Set] {Mosaic}
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks+.cue+log) - 961 MB | Scans JPG - 30 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.98) - 485 MB
Genre: jazz, cool | RAR 5% Rec. | Label: Mosaic / Blue Note | CAT # MS-010 | 2004

This excellent 3-CD set collects two 10" albums by Shank and 4 12" albums co-led by Shank and Cooper, all for the Pacific Jazz/World Pacific labels between 1954-58. The West Coast cool school was at its height at this time, and both Bud Shank and Bob Cooper were in the thick of it. The first disc gets off to a rousing start with the marvelously swinging VALVE IN HEAD from 1954, with Bud playing fluid alto sax. He's joined by three valve trombone players (Bob Enevoldsen, Stu Williamson, and the ringer Maynard Ferguson) on this tune and for the first half of the disc, an interesting concept. The second half finds him with Coop at Cal Tech in 1959. Count Basie's THE KING gets a rousing airing, and there's a nicely done ballad medley.

Vince Guaraldi was a well-respected jazz pianist whose greatest success came from avenues usually closed to contemporary jazz artists: he enjoyed a hit single at a time when jazz had largely been exiled from the pop charts, and he scored a series of very successful animated television specials (namely the Charlie Brown seasonal specials scores and soundtracks for which his name has become synonymous), a medium where cookie-cutter pop music was traditionally the order of the day.