Drummer
Shelly Manne's first sessions for Contemporary contain plenty of definitive examples of West Coast jazz. This CD has four titles apiece from a 1953 septet date with altoist
Art Pepper,
Bob Cooper on tenor, baritonist
Jimmy Giuffre, and valve trombonist
Bob Enevoldsen, four from a few months later with
Bud Shank in
Pepper's place, and four other songs from 1955 when
Manne headed a septet with altoist
Joe Maini and
Bill Holman on tenor in addition to
Giuffre and
Enevoldsen. With arrangements by
Marty Paich (who plays piano on the first two dates),
Giuffre,
Shorty Rogers,
Bill Russo, Holman, and
Enevoldsen, the music has plenty of variety yet defines the era, ranging from Russo's "Sweets" (a tribute to trumpeter
Harry "Sweets" Edison),
Giuffre's "Fugue," and the Latin folk tune "La Mucura" to updated charts on older swing tunes. Highly recommended and proof (if any is really needed) that West Coast jazz was far from bloodless. ~ Scott Yanow