Shorty Rogers: Centennial

Sunday, April 14, will mark the 100th anniversary of Shorty Rogers' birth. The trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer and arranger who was a founding father of West Coast jazz died in 1994 from melanoma at age 70.

Today, in celebration of Rogers' contribution to jazz, I've assembled 10 of my favorite clips plus three bonus clips:

Here's one of Rogers' first recorded arrangements, on Heads Up for Woody Herman's Woodchoppers combo performed in March 1946 at Carnegie Hall, featuring Sonny Berman (tp), Bill Harris (tb), Woody Herman (cl), Flip Phillips (ts), Red Norvo (vib), Tony Aless (p), Billy Bauer (g), Chubby Jackson (b) and Don Lamond (d) ...



Here's Rogers' composition and arrangement of Jolly Rogers on February 5, 1950 for Stan Kenton, one of the very first charts by Rogers with his distinctive West Coast jazz sound, with solos by Rogers and Art Pepper. The band: Buddy Childers, Maynard Ferguson, Shorty Rogers, Chico Alvarez and Don Paladino (tp); Milt Bernhart, Harry Betts and Bob Fitzpatrick (tb); Bill Russo (tb); Bart Varsalona (b-tb); John Graas and Lloyd Otto (fhr); Gene Englund (tu); Bud Shank and Art Pepper (as,fl); Bob Cooper and Bart Caldarell (ts); Bob Gioga (bar); Stan Kenton (p); Laurindo Almeida (g); Don Bagley (b) and Shelly Manne (d)...



Here's Sam and the Lady in October 1951 with Shorty Rogers and His Giants : Shorty Rogers (tp,arr), John Graas (fhr), Gene Englund (tu), Art Pepper (as), Jimmy Giuffre (ts), Hampton Hawes (p), Don Bagley (b) and Shelly Manne (d)...



Here's Shorty Rogers and His Orchestra, featuring his Giants, on Coup de Graas from March 1953, with one of the best West Coast big bands ever assembled in Hollywood: Shorty Rogers, Conrad Gozzo, Maynard Ferguson, Tom Reeves and John Howell (tp); Milt Bernhart, John Halliburton and Harry Betts (tb); John Graas (fhr); Gene Englund (tu); Art Pepper (as) and Bud Shank (as); Jimmy Giuffre (ts,cl); Bob Cooper (bar); Marty Paich (p); Curtis Counce (b) and Shelly Manne (d)...



Here's Rogers' arrangement of Ten Cents a Dance for the Dave Pell Octet in June 1954: Don Fagerquist (tp), Ray Sims (tb), Dave Pell (ts), Ronnie Lang (bar,fl), Donn Trenner (p), Tony Rizzi (g), Rollie Bundock (b) and Bill Richmond (d), with  superb short trumpet solo by Fagerquist...



Here's Elaine's Lullaby arranged by Rogers for his Shorty Rogers and HIs Augmented Giants in September 1954, with Shorty Rogers (tp), Milt Bernhart and Bob Enevoldsen (tb), Jimmy Giuffre (cl,ts,bar), Lennie Niehaus and Bud Shank (as), Zoot Sims (ts), Pete Jolly (p), Barney Kessel (g), Curtis Counce (b) and Shelly Manne (d)...



Here's Audition, from Shorty Rogers and His Giants' soundtrack recording for the film The Man With the Golden Arm, in November 1955. Conducted by Elmer Bernstein, the band consisted of Ray Linn, Pete Candoli, Conte Candoli and Buddy Childers (tp); Shorty Rogers (flhrn); Milt Bernhart, Harry Betts and Frank Rosolino (tb); George Roberts (b-tb); Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Bill Holman and Jack Montrose (ts); Jimmy Giuffre (bar); Lou Levy (p); Ralph Pena (b) and Shelly Manne (d). Dig Manne throughout...



Here's I Could Write a Book in February 1957 from Shorty Rogers Plays Richard Rodgers, with Shorty Rogers, Conte Candoli, Pete Candoli, Harry “Sweets" Edison, Maynard Ferguson and Al Porcino (tp); Milt Bernhart, Bob Burgess and Frank Rosolino (tb); George Roberts (b-tb); Sam Rice (tu); Herb Geller (as); Bill Holman, Jack Montrose and Bill Perkins (ts) Pepper Adams (bar); Pete Jolly (p) Red Mitchell (b) Stan Levey (d)...



Here's Grand Slam from Portrait of Shorty in August 1957 with Shorty Rogers (tp,flhrn); Al Porcino, Conrad Gozzo, Don Fagerquist, Conte Candoli and Pete Candoli (tp); Frank Rosolino, George Roberts and Harry Betts (tb); Bob Enevoldsen (v-tb); Herb Geller (as,ts); Richie Kamuca, Jack Montrose and Bill Holman (ts); Pepper Adams (bar); Lou Levy (p); Monty Budwig (b) and Stan Levey (d)...



And here's Shorty Rogers and His Orchestra, Featuring the Giants playing A Very Special Love in December 1958, with Rogers (flhrn); Don Fagerquist, Pete Candoli, Conte Candoli, Ollie Mitchell, Al Porcino and Ray Triscari (tp); Bob Enevoldsen (v-tb); Harry Betts, Dick Nash and Ken Shroyer (tb); Paul Horn and Bud Shank (cl,fl,as); Bill Holman and Richie Kamuca (ts); Chuck Gentry (bar); Red Norvo (vib); Pete Jolly (p); Howard Roberts and Barney Kessel (g); Monty Budwig (b) and Mel Lewis (d)...



Bonus clips: Here's Shorty Rogers in 1958 on TV's Peter Gunn, with vocalist Lola Albright...



Here's Shorty Rogers in 1962 on TV's Frankly Jazz, hosted by Frank Evans, playing Time Was with Rogers (flhrn), Gary Lefebvre (ts), Lou Levy (p), Gary Peacock (p) and Larry Bunker (d)...



And here's Rogers in 1983 with His Giants playing Infinity Promenade, featuring Rogers (flhrn), Bud Shank (as), Jimmy Giuffre and Bob Cooper (ts), Bill Perkins (bs), Peter Jolly (p), Monty Budwig (b) and Shelly Manne (d)...