John Lewis - Grand Encounter

I will be the first to admit that I am not a big MJQ fan. Nor did I ever really buy into the Third Stream thing. Like everything else it had its high points, not to be dismissed but much like prog rock, it was best to be avoided.
 Now that I have led you down that path, let me assure you that that is not what we have here.Lewis penned the title tune and it's no slouch but it is the handful of standards the make up the rest of this lp, that really speak for it.  Even though Lewis is the obvious leader on this date, it is the under appreciated Bill Perkins that plants this record firmly in the Pacific Jazz west coast pantheon. I overlooked this lp far too long. Don't make the same mistake.

1. Love Me or Leave Me

2. I Can't Get Started

3. Easy Living

4. 2 Degrees East - # Degrees West

5. Skylark

6. Almost Like Being In Love

John Lewis - piano

Percy Heath - bass

Bill Perkins - tenor sax

Chico Hamilton - drums

Jim Hall - guitar

PJ-1217

A Taste Of The Best From World Pacific

Hell, I wanna post this record almost as much for the cover as the music. Everything about this record is just about its period. I can see this spinning on the Hi-fi at my bachelor pad, except I'm not that old and was never that cool. Prepared for the industry the year I was born, I wonder which of us has held up better? The competition may have been tougher if they had mined Pacific's vaults a bit more, but I realize that was not the intention.
There is nothing unreleased on here as far as I know although there a bit of stuff you won't find easily.
On the bright side..."all the selections were chosen for broad appeal and brevity..."
"All necessary information to facilitate and stimulate frequent play is included in the chart below."

The Major Names In Modern Music - On World Pacific

1. Let's Face The Music and Dance

2.The Folks Who love On The Hill

3. Siren Song

4. Smoke gets In Your Eyes

5. Put Away Your Dreams

6. 'Round About Midnight

7. In A Mellowtone

8. Lullaby Of The Leaves

9. Dance of The Siamese Children

10. Rhymes Have I

11. Disc Jockey Jump

12. Jersey Bounce

13. It Don't Mean A Thing

14. The Preacher

15. Don't Be That Way

16. That Old Feeling

17. Look For The Silver Lining

18. September In The Rain

19. Guitar For Sale

20. Raga Mishra Piloo

1. David Allen w/ Bill Holman Orch.

2. David Allen w/ Johnny Mandel Orch.

3. Pat Healy w/ Fred Katz  Orch.

4. Bud Shank w/ Len Mercer Orch.

5. Bud Shank - Bob Cooper Orch.

6. Gil Evans and his Orch.

7. Chico Hamilton Quintet

8. Chico Hamilton Trio

9. The Mastersounds

10. The Mastersounds

11. Gerry Mulligan and the Sax Section

12. Gerry Mulligan Quartet

13. Annie Ross w/ Gerry Mulligan Quartet

14. Gerry Mulligan w/ Vinnie Burke Strings

15. Bob Brookmeyer - Jimmy Guiffre Quintet

16. Chet Baker Quartet

17. Chet Baker - Bill Perkins Quintet

18. Harry Edison Quartet

19. Shorty Petterstein!

20. Ravi Shankar w/ Charur Lal

World Pacific ST 779

Kenny Drew Quartet - Talkin' & Walkin'

This lp from 1955 was originally released on the Pacific Jazz imprint, and includes several prominent musicians from their roster at the time. Although from what i understand, at the time of this recording they were actually Drew's working quartet.

Instead of being just a straight ahead post bop date, it is fun to hear them stretch out a bit while the sax seems to being looking backwards with some serious bebop chops.

Im pretty sure this would happen to be another record I tracked down in the Chicago library system. Then I promptly transferred it to cassette and then finally moved to disc some years ago.

talkin' & walkin' with the
Kenny Drew Quartet

1. talkin' - walkin'
2. in the prescribed manner
3. wee dot
4. hidden channel
5. deadline
6. i'm old fashioned
7. minor blues
8. walkin' - talkin'

Joe Maini - alto, tenor sax
Kenny Drew - piano
Leroy Vinnegar - bass
Lawrence Marable - drums

recorded at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, CA, December, 1955

Jazz West JWLP 4

Bud Shank - Jazz at Cal-Tech

Yup - bang, click, pow...not in the best shape but then neither am I. I have decided to embrace my shortcomings, for now.

I don't see this record offered up often and it will never be in good enough shape for the dudes at the Pacific Jazz site (Goddamn! are they doing a great job?).

But I can offer it up here first.

A pretty cool date which sports the flute, oboe combo on a couple of tracks.

The Bud Shank Quartet In Concert With Bob Cooper
Jazz at Cal-Tech

1. When Lights Are Low
2. Old Devil Moon
3. The Nearness Of You
4. How Long Has This Been Going On & Tea For Two
5. Lullaby Of Birdland
6. Somebody Loves Me
7. Moonlight In Vermont
8. The King

Bud Shank - alto and flute
Bob Cooper - tenor and oboe
Claude Williamson - piano
Don Prell - bass
Chuck Flores - drums

This session was produced by Frank Kofsky, a Cal-Tech physics student.

Pacific Jazz PJ-1219

Bud Shank - Bossa Nova Jazz Samba

For the first post of the new year, I offer this, one of those jazz lps when everyone was so fascinated with the South American thing.
I know this sort of thing reaches a limited audience. Sorta like reggae - ya really have to be in the mood for it. And there are so many bad versions out there that it is near impossible to sift through the chaff. Fortunately I do it for you.
With the weather dipping into the teens this week, I thought a little something that reminds me of sunshine was in order.

Bud Shank and Clare Fischer
Bossa Nova Jazz Samba

1. Samba da Borboleta
2. Illusao
3. Pensativa
4. Joao
5. Misty
6. Que Mais?
7. Wistful Samba
8. Samba Guapo

Bud Shank - alto sax
Clare Fischer - piano
Ralph Pena - bass

percussionists -
Larry Bunker, Bob Neel
Milt Holland, Frank Guerrero

1962

PJ-58

Just for the record - you are not getting the fancy stereo version but rather the one in glorious mono.

Showcase For Modern Jazz

Here's one that I surprisingly have no recollection of where I picked it up.

A reissue, this has one track that was not on the original release, Lady Like. I'll take it... a John Graas tune featuring perennial favorite Art Pepper.

Pepper features prominently on several tunes as well as other West Coasters as indicated in the lp's subtitle. As far as Lucraft goes, I know very little other than the purple prose of the liner notes but he seems to be relegated to a footnote in jazz history, (much like the very blog you are reading if I were to reach such dizzying heights.)

Do not be fooled, these are inspired tracks. I'm betting that if I had been more than a glimmer in my mama's eye at the time I would have been floored by this new "West Coast" thing.

I don't know how this dude assembled this cast for this session but he deserves to be showered with love.

Showcase For Modern Jazz
Featuring Outstanding west Coast Jazz Men - directed by Howard Lucraft

1. Blue Moon
2. I'll Never Say 'Never Again' Again
3. California Zephyr (Howard Lucraft)
4. I May Be Wrong
5. Larissa (Howard Lucraft)
6. Lady Like (John Grass)
   
7. Midnight Sun (Sonny Burke, Lionel Hampton)
8. Smog a la Mode (Howard Lucraft)
9. Jazz for Gene (Howard Lucraft)
10. Two Part Contention (Dave Brubeck)

Personnel:

• Bud Shank – flute (1,8), alto saxophone (4,8)
• Buddy Collette – clarinet (1), baritone saxophone (4,8)
• Conte Candoli – trumpet (2,5,9)
• Stu Williamson – trumpet (2,5,9)
• Frank Rosolino – trombone (2,5,9)
• Charlie Mariano – tenor & alto saxophones (2,5,9), baritone saxophone (5,9)
• Bob Cooper – oboe (3,7), tenor saxophone (3,6,7,10)
• Art Pepper – alto saxophone (3,6,7,10), tenor saxophone (7)
• Pete Jolly – piano (2,9), accordion (2,5,9)
• Claude Williamson – piano (3,6,7,9)
• John Doe – guitar (1,4,8)
• Howard Lucraft – guitar (5,9)
• Red Mitchell – bass (1,4,7)
• Leroy Vinegar – bass (2,5,9)
• Monty Budwig – bass (3,6,7,9)
• Mel Lewis – drums (1,4,8)
• Shelly Manne – drums (2,5,9)
• Stan Levey – drums (3,6,7,10)

Recorded June 8, 1957 in Los Angeles, California, USA

Decca DL 8679 (WEA 1986 vinyl reissue)