Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Shelly Manne: Boss Sounds!

Shelly Manne: Boss Sounds!

By David A. Orthmann
June 1, 2000
Sign in to view read count

Although jazzmen based on the West Coast are frequently regarded as rhythmically moribund compared to their East Coast counterparts, there’s nothing effete about Boss Sounds!, a reissue of a 1966 Atlantic release. Recorded live at his club in Hollywood, Shelly Manne sets the pace with his lively yet precise drumming. With an impressive array of rhythms executed by sticks and brushes, adroitly placed beats on the bass drum, and a keen sense of dynamics, he constantly moves the music forward without overplaying. Aside from a couple of eight bar solos on pianist Russ Freeman’s “You Name It,” Manne prefers to stay in the background, directing the action and inspiring the other members of the quintet.

In all matters musical, Manne (who died in 1984) knew how to lead a band. His choice of material for the recording is consistently interesting, and the arrangements (including one each by Jimmy Rowles, Don Specht, and Freeman) are filled with touches that make them very different from standard blowing vehicles. For example, “The Breeze And I” includes bossa nova and straight jazz rhythms, implies a shift in and out of three-quarter time, and a smattering of gospel chords.

Longtime Manne associates bassist Monty Budwig, trumpeter Conte Condoli, and Freeman are on hand to play the charts with finesse and verve as well as taking invigorating solo turns. One of the alto saxophone’s unsung heroes, Frank Strozier, is in brilliant form. Utilizing an acerbic tone, formidable technical prowess, and never straying very far from the blues, each of his solos displays a different aspect of a fully formed style. On his composition, “Frank’s Tune,” he’s all over the horn, deftly mixing skittering, bop-influenced sixteenth note runs with more deliberate lines which are occasionally punctuated by shrieks, honks, and bellows.

Track List:Margie; Idle One; The Breeze And I; Frank’s Tune; Wandering; You Name It.

Personnel

Shelly Manne

drums

Shelly Manne

Album information

Title: Boss Sounds! | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: KOCH International Jazz

< Previous
Charles Gayle

Next >
Art Pepper

Comments

About Shelly Manne

Instrument: Drums

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.