Thought I'd chime in as I went through a long period of listening to mainly east coast jazz before becoming aware of the charms of music from the west coast. I looked through my cd list and picked out some things. I've always found it hard to talk the merits or demerits of jazz, I like to leave that to our more learned posters. I like all these, some more than others. The Nocturne Set is very good if you can find a copy anywhere.
Chet Baker
Chet Baker Sings
Chet
The Best Of Lerner And Loewe
Picture Of Heath
The Trumpet Artisty Of Chet Baker
Chet Baker Quartet With Russ Freeman
The Route
On A Misty Night
Stairway To The Stars
Lonely Star
Chet's Choice
Grey September
Russ Freeman & Chet Baker
Chet Baker & Crew
Chet Baker In Paris 4 cd
Complete PacificJazz Live/ Russ Freeman 3 cd
Bob Brookmeyer
Traditionalism Revisited
Conte Candoli
West Coasting
Conte Candoli
Conte Candoli 4
Mucho Calor
Al Cohn & Shorty Rogers
East Coast West Coast Scene
Bob Cooper Coop !
The Five
Gerry Mulligan
Tentet & Quartet
Concert Jazz Band Olympia 1960 2 cd
California Concerts Vol 2
Mulligan Meets Monk
Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster
What Is There To Say ?
Walkin' Shoes
Concert Jazz Band At The Village Vanguard
Night Lights
The Original Quartet With Chet Baker
The Gerry Mulligan Songbook
Reunion : With Chet Baker
Jeru
Getz Meets Mulligan In Hi Fi
Shorty Rogers
Short Stops
Shorty Rogers Plays Richard Rogers
Manteca/Afro Cuban Influence
Martians Come Back / Way Up There
The Swingin' Nutcracker
An Invisible Orchard
Complete Atlantic/EMI Mosaic
Shorty Rogers & His Giants
Cool And Crazy
Collaboration
Wherever The Five Winds Blow
Wizard Of Oz
Gigi In Jazz
Courts The Count
Chances Are It Swings
East Coast West Coast Scene
Annie Ross Sings A Song With Mulligan
A Gasser !
Bud Shank
Body & Soul
Blowin' Country
Complete Pacific Jazz 5 cd
Bud Shank-Bill perkins
Jack Sheldon
The Quartet & The Quintet
Jack Sheldon & His All Stars
The Entertainers
VSOP label
Ex Hermanites
Don Fagerquist 8 by 8
Vic Feldman On Vibes
Herb Geller 4
Gold Coast Jazz Octet Gold Coast Jazz
Pete Jolly
Pete Jolly3
Red Chimney & Sherry's Bar Recordings
Pete Jolly Trio & Friends
Richie Kamuca 4
Stan Levey 5
Mel Lewis 6
Warne Marsh 4
Modern Jazz Orchestra
Lon Norman Gold Coast Jazz
Marty Paich
Picasso Of Big Band Jazz
Marty Paich 3
Jazz For Relaxation
Marty Paich Quartet featuring Art Pepper
Jazz Ball Band 1st Set
Bill Perkins Tenors Head On with Richie Kamuca
On Stage The Bill Perkins Octet
Jimmy Rowles Jazz In A Weather Vane
Let's Get Acquainted With Jazz