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Bud Shank: The Original - The Pacific Jazz Years
by Nic Jones
> Bud Shank The Original - The Pacific Jazz YearsGiant Steps2008 Any debate that might once have raged over the hoary question of East Coast/West Coast dichotomy has hopefully died out by now. If the hope that the music prevails holds water, this is a vessel it's held in.
As an alto saxophonist in the mid-1950s, Bud Shank showed about as much of a Charlie Parker influence as Art Pepper ...
Continue ReadingBud Shank: Against the Tide - Portrait of a Jazz Legend
by Jack Bowers
Bud Shank Against the Tide: Portrait of a Jazz Legend Jazzed Media 2008
Not long ago, several record labels began issuing DVDs to complement their new CD releases, a move that was welcomed by listeners and reviewers alike, as it enabled them not only to hear a particular musician and group but to see them adapt and intertwine to reach their musical goals together. Saxophonist/flautist Bud Shank's new CD, Against the Tide: ...
Continue ReadingBud Shank: Change is Good
by Maxwell Chandler
With half a century of music making under his belt, Bud Shank is a survivor and a legend. To merely label him as a player of the West Coast/Cool school is to deny the full measure of a multi-faceted artist.Still touring and recording, Shank took time to speak with AAJ's Maxwell Chandler about his artistic legacy.All About Jazz: Your family was not musical, what were the circumstances of your initially being bitten by the jazz bug? ...
Continue ReadingBud Shank / Bill Mays: Beyond the Red Door
by Jack Bowers
At its best, jazz is about spontaneity and surprise. It is also, as Bud Shank writes in his cogent liner notes to Beyond the Red Door, wherein his persuasive alto saxophone is seamlessly blended with Bill Mays's decorous piano, about “the expression of emotions... about feeling good, about self-respect, about self-assurance, about happiness and humor."
Shank and Mays bring all those qualities, plus a lifetime of experience, to bear in an engaging and varied program of old favorites and newer ...
Continue ReadingBud Shank and Bob Cooper: European Tour '58
by David Rickert
Who wouldn't enjoy a nice trip overseas in Europe? Certainly many jazz musicians enjoyed a sojourn overseas because of the enthusiastic audiences, lack of prejudice, and, of course, the ability to see all the sights. Altoist/flautist Bud Shank and tenorist/oboist Bob Cooper, two West Coast musicians who formed a friendship in the Stan Kenton band that turned into a successful musical partnership, were two who went overseas for several concerts.
These 1958 recordings are part of a series ...
Continue ReadingBud Shank and Bob Cooper: European Tour '57
by David Rickert
Bud Shank and Bob Cooper were prolific players on the 1950s West Coast jazz scene, readily available to participate in studio sessions while making a lot of hay as studio musicians. However, they developed a unique chemistry early on as members of Stan Kenton's band, particularly in the area of unusual instrumentation. While the altoist and tenorist were kindred spirits, it was their affinity for the unusual flute and oboe combination that really ignited their relationship, resulting in a series ...
Continue ReadingThe Bud Shank Big Band: Taking the Long Way Home
by Jack Bowers
The Bud Shank Big Band Taking the Long Way Home Jazzed Media 2006
Just in time for his eightieth birthday, Jazzed Media has released renowned alto saxophonist Bud Shank's first-ever album as leader of his own big band, the aptly named Taking the Long Way Home. From the opening bars of Mike Barone's rhapsodic “Rosebud, it's clear that Bud is having a marvelous time, and one can't help wondering why he hadn't done this ...
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