Josh Nelson / Kevin Van Den Elzen: West Coast Echoes

Pianist Josh Nelson and drummer Kevin Van Den Elzen (with bassist Eric Sittner) revisit the glory days of West Coast jazz in the 1950s and '60s on West Coast Echoes, a generally smooth and pleasing glance backward at the "cool" school of jazz championed by such legendary artists as Shorty Rogers, Art Pepper, Stan Getz, Shelly Manne, Gerry Mulligan, Bob Cooper, Chet Baker, Chico Hamilton, Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and many others.

The "echoes" become louder and more forceful on tracks 1, 3 and 7, wherein the trio is reinforced by the eloquent and persuasive voices of trumpeter Ron Stout and tenor saxophonist Bob Sheppard (who, for reasons unknown, are listed as playing only on tracks 1 and 3). The trio goes it alone on four other numbers, which, of course, include one by Rogers, the monarch of West Coast jazz, his brisk and charming "Diablo's Dance." The others are Cal Tjader's lyrical "Liz Anne," Mike Wofford's lovely "Birds of Paradise" and Jerry Goldsmith's gentle theme from the movie Chinatown.

Stout and Sheppard perform on the album's upbeat numbers: Nelson's walking opener, "Griffith Park Promenade," Terry Gibbs' frolicsome finale, "Townhouse #3," and "The King Swings," a staight-on burner by John Williams—presumably the West Coast pianist of that name, not the award-winning film and television composer, although that Williams has been known to pen the occasional jazz theme. Stout and Sheppard are invariably sharp and in the pocket while setting a swinging compass for the trio.

Nelson, Van Den Elzen and Sittner are quite good on their own, as they prove when soloing or embracing back-up roles. West Coast Echoes is a pleasing session from start to finish, with an extra half-star for Stout and Sheppard.

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