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Andre Previn and his pals Shelly Manne & Red Mitchell: West Side Story
by Richard J Salvucci
André Previn was always something of a mystery to jazz critics and listeners. By common consent, he had astonishing instrumental technique. On the other hand, a lot of listeners were sure they could hear everyone but Previn in his playing. Along with Shelly Manne, he sold a lot of records and probably made a good deal of money doing so. That alone would have been a problem for some--commercial success and jazz are not supposed to be compatible--but then Previn ...
Continue ReadingOrnette Coleman: Genesis of Genius: The Contemporary Albums
by Jeff Kaliss
For many an Ornette Coleman devotee, devotion was pledged with the singular saxophonist's The Shape of Jazz to Come (Atlantic). It was recorded in May and released in November of 1959, and it's a matter of when in our life we caught up with it. For some of us, that's when we first felt liberated by jazz. That album, produced by Nesuhi Ertegun, remains a hard act to follow, even for Coleman himself. Or to precede. But “Hollywood ...
Continue ReadingBill Evans: Everybody Still Digs Bill Evans: A Career Retrospective (1956 - 1980)
by Chris May
Only occasionally do classy looking limited-edition box sets prove to be a triumph of style and substance. Too often they are undermined by cheapskate packaging, over elaborate design, poorly written and researched booklets, inadequate session details or, most egregiously, bizarre (in a bad way) track selections. So it is a more than pleasant surprise when something comes along which succeeds, and succeeds magnificently, on all those fronts. Such an item is Concord Records' Craft imprint's Everybody Still Digs Bill Evans: ...
Continue ReadingA Shelly Manne Centennial and More June Birthdays
by Marc Cohn
June birthdays on Gifts and Messages. The 'big' ones: singer Dakota Staton @ 90 and drummer Shelly Manne @ 100. It's also Anthony Braxton's 75th birthday with tunes from his Charlie Parker Project. On our broadcast day in Baton Rouge, Eric Dolphy's 92nd. More of course, mostly pianists: Chick Corea, Kenny Barron, Geri Allen, Misha Mengelberg with Braxton and Andrew Hill, as well as guitarists Grant Green and Tal Farlow. Enjoy the show. Playlist Chick Corea “Sifu" ...
Continue ReadingArt Pepper: The Return of Art Pepper
by C. Michael Bailey
Alto saxophonist Art Pepper's first incarceration for drugs took place between August 1954 and July 1956, a period conspicuous for Pepper's absence from the recording studio. Pepper's first recording as a leader after his release was, aptly, The Return of Art Pepper. He had been busy as a sideman for trumpeters Shorty Rogers (Big Shorty Express (RCA, 1956)) and Chet Baker (The Route (Pacific Jazz, 1956)) before entering Capitol Studios on August 5, 1956 to record the ten pieces that ...
Continue ReadingShelly Manne: The Three & The Two
by David A. Orthmann
"When I'm playing, I think along melodic lines. For instance, I can go up as the notes go up. I may not hit them on the head, but the drums are a very sympathetic instrument and I can sometimes sound like I'm playing the melody without being right in tune. Naturally, I don't have the whole keyboard at my fingertips. I've only got four drums to work with, so I do the best I can with them to point out ...
Continue ReadingShelly Manne: Three Classic Albums Plus
by David Rickert
Shelly ManneThree Classic Albums PlusAvid Records2012During the 1950s heyday of the West Coast scene, drummer Shelly Manne hit on a formula for sucessful albums: pick a Broadway play or television score and turn some of the best songs into swinging jazz. After the success of My Fair Lady (1956) there was no turning back, and the four albums on Three Classic Albums Plus were recorded in succession over the span of two ...
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