Eddie Costa Corner

[Fer Urbina]

How is Jazz on the Rocks? Any good?

It's good enough, not top drawer Costa but well worth hearing but don't lose sleep over this one...

I agree. If you want Costa in a quintet, I'd go for the Mode/VSOP Eddie Costa Quintet (Art Farmer with Woods at the front, Paul Motian on drums) or the Hal McKusick-Art Farmer Quintet (originally on Coral, most of it on GRP's Now's The Time, all of it on a LoneHill reissue, IIRC).

F

[blind-blake]

How is Jazz on the Rocks? Any good?

It's good enough, not top drawer Costa but well worth hearing but don't lose sleep over this one...

I agree. If you want Costa in a quintet, I'd go for the Mode/VSOP Eddie Costa Quintet (Art Farmer with Woods at the front, Paul Motian on drums) or the Hal McKusick-Art Farmer Quintet (originally on Coral, most of it on GRP's Now's The Time, all of it on a LoneHill reissue, IIRC).

F

Thanks! I know the VSOP (great stuff!) but not the McKusick-Farmer. I'll be sure and check that one out.

[BillF]

How is Jazz on the Rocks? Any good?

It's good enough, not top drawer Costa but well worth hearing but don't lose sleep over this one...

I agree. If you want Costa in a quintet, I'd go for the Mode/VSOP Eddie Costa Quintet (Art Farmer with Woods at the front, Paul Motian on drums) or the Hal McKusick-Art Farmer Quintet (originally on Coral, most of it on GRP's Now's The Time, all of it on a LoneHill reissue, IIRC).

F

Thanks! I know the VSOP (great stuff!) but not the McKusick-Farmer. I'll be sure and check that one out.

I strongly recommend the McKusick-Farmer. The 11 tracks with Costa are superb!

Edited July 31, 2008 by BillF

[Fer Urbina]

Another quintet with McKusick is Triple Exposure (Prestige, "triple" because McKusick plays clarinet, alto and tenor), with Billy Byers on trombone, Costa on piano, Paul Chambers and Charli Persip.

Although, to be honest, it's been so long since I last listened to it, that I cannot comment on it. What I do remember is that all tracks are first takes, except Saturday Night.

F

[BillF]

How is Jazz on the Rocks? Any good?

It's good enough, not top drawer Costa but well worth hearing but don't lose sleep over this one...

I agree. If you want Costa in a quintet, I'd go for the Mode/VSOP Eddie Costa Quintet (Art Farmer with Woods at the front, Paul Motian on drums) or the Hal McKusick-Art Farmer Quintet (originally on Coral, most of it on GRP's Now's The Time, all of it on a LoneHill reissue, IIRC).

F

Thanks! I know the VSOP (great stuff!) but not the McKusick-Farmer. I'll be sure and check that one out.

I strongly recommend the McKusick-Farmer. The 11 tracks with Costa are superb!

Just read your blog comments on Costa's "Anabelle" and "Diane". Very illuminating! Thanks!

[Fer Urbina]

How is Jazz on the Rocks? Any good?

It's good enough, not top drawer Costa but well worth hearing but don't lose sleep over this one...

I agree. If you want Costa in a quintet, I'd go for the Mode/VSOP Eddie Costa Quintet (Art Farmer with Woods at the front, Paul Motian on drums) or the Hal McKusick-Art Farmer Quintet (originally on Coral, most of it on GRP's Now's The Time, all of it on a LoneHill reissue, IIRC).

F

Thanks! I know the VSOP (great stuff!) but not the McKusick-Farmer. I'll be sure and check that one out.

I strongly recommend the McKusick-Farmer. The 11 tracks with Costa are superb!

Just read your blog comments on Costa's "Anabelle" and "Diane". Very illuminating! Thanks!

As long as I make some sense... thank you

Hope you could hear the audio clips too. Apparently they don't work on Internet Explorer, but they do with Mozilla/Firefox.

F

[blind-blake]

I went ahead and purchased the Hal McKusick and Jazz on the Rocks. They are BOTH excellent! Thanks for your suggestions!

[Kalo]

I loves me some Eddie Costa!

(Not so sure about his cousin [?] Don.)

[Kalo]

Another quintet with McKusick is Triple Exposure (Prestige, "triple" because McKusick plays clarinet, alto and tenor), with Billy Byers on trombone, Costa on piano, Paul Chambers and Charli Persip.

Although, to be honest, it's been so long since I last listened to it, that I cannot comment on it. What I do remember is that all tracks are first takes, except Saturday Night.

F

McKusick's "Triple Exposure" is a fine album. Costa's just the icing on the cake of this one...

[John L]

While glancing through Eddie Costa's discography, I was struck by the fact that he seemed to have had progressively fewer studio recording opportunities, either as a leader or featured sideman in a small group context, during the last 4 years of his life. You would think that the spectacular work and recordings that he made in 1956-57 would have really launched his career, especially given that 1958-1962 were still prime years for the popularity of jazz. It appears that, on the contrary, his star fell during this time. Is there a story here?

Edited August 29, 2008 by John L

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

eddie costa. i have lps w/ him. west coast jazz lps. cant recall the labels right now but god if i had to guess, i would say i have something with Eddie Costa on TAMPA, or perhaps MODE. But all obsucre wcj label credibility aside, the man put his soul station in julie london's up at mintons, vol. 2

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

TV action jazz? ive been dying to hear that one. i have it coincidently enough sitting near my television. its personal chewy friend mundell lowe leading that

[WD45]

How is Jazz on the Rocks? Any good?

It's good enough, not top drawer Costa but well worth hearing but don't lose sleep over this one...

I agree. If you want Costa in a quintet, I'd go for the Mode/VSOP Eddie Costa Quintet (Art Farmer with Woods at the front, Paul Motian on drums) or the Hal McKusick-Art Farmer Quintet (originally on Coral, most of it on GRP's Now's The Time, all of it on a LoneHill reissue, IIRC).

F

I just picked up that "Now's the Time" comp on GRP, and am curious as to why they left off some cuts when the total running time of the disc is only 61 mins? If I understand the notes correctly, McKusick himself was involved in the selection -- could he have nixed some cuts for editorial reasons instead?

Great music, on this, BTW.

Would love to see some of Costa's more obscure leader and/or sideman dates show up collected somewhere. Mosaic?

[Shannon Dickey]

I dig TV ACTION JAZZ lp a lot, but far and away my fave costa is "HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHTS" I have thee Fresh Sounds vinyl, not the Dot (RATS!!)

[king ubu]

Manne's "2 - 3 - 4" (I think?) is wonderful indeed! Got an Impulse LP of that one (not sure if it's a mono or stereo, it's fairly old but sound is marvellous!)

As for "TV Action Jazz," I just bought this one in a local sale, it's very short (27 minutes), but it's pretty cool - Herbie Mann's on tenor and flute, and Tony Scott on baritone and clarinet. Mundell Lowe is good!

I see the Lonehill "complete" one, I guess it pairs this and the follow up "More TV Action Jazz"? Both of those came out (again) in 2007 on Sony/BMG (jewel case editions - not sure if they were part of the RCA Gold Series before, but Amazon also lists a 1999 edition for the first album).

[Fer Urbina]

While glancing through Eddie Costa's discography, I was struck by the fact that he seemed to have had progressively fewer studio recording opportunities, either as a leader or featured sideman in a small group context, during the last 4 years of his life. You would think that the spectacular work and recordings that he made in 1956-57 would have really launched his career, especially given that 1958-1962 were still prime years for the popularity of jazz. It appears that, on the contrary, his star fell during this time. Is there a story here?

Well spotted. IMHO it's a mixture of his personality (laid back and easy going), that he was not being particularly interested in building a *jazz* career or somewhat not preoccupied about the extramusical stuff involved in that (publicity, etc), and especially that he became busier and busier as a studio musician. In spite of his age, he had a growing family (three kids) and I gather he was reluctant to travel outside the NY area.

I think he was very unlucky with his House of Blue Lights LP being released by Dot, a minor label with little jazz interest.

I agree he's magnificent in SHELLY MANNE's 2, 3, 4. I've been told Manne was mightly impressed, and their interplay on "Lean on Me" is something to be heard (possibly my single favourite Eddie Costa recording).

A question for Chewy: what do you mean with

the man put his soul station in julie london's up at mintons, vol. 2

. Have you heard Eddie playing with Julie London? Where?

Thanks in advance.

F

[jazzbo]

Great Costa on the Clark Terry Moodsville "All American" (on cd from OJC as half of "Mellow Moods") especially the piano on "If I were You". . . .

[.:.impossible]

I am not too familiar with Costa, but picked up an LP of his to hear what Motian sounded like way back then. Turns out he is not at all the highlight of the record!!! Great stuff. In Their Own Sweet Way on Premier.

[mikeweil]

Would love to see some of Costa's more obscure leader and/or sideman dates show up collected somewhere. Mosaic?

Right now, Lonehill would be the most likely candidate - plenty sideman dates on those labels, too.

Edited September 26, 2008 by mikeweil

[Cliff Englewood]

Talking of some of Costa's more obscure sideman dates, does anyone having any thoughts, positive or negative, on his date with Herbie Mann??? I have gone through the thread and didn't really notice any chat about it. AMG gives a good review and the line-up looks very good.

I agree with what has been said by a few people regarding his arranging skills, his arrangements really are wonderful and quite inventive. I get the impression that he did a lot more arranging on his sessions than he got "official" credit for.

Also, is there some sort of link between his piano playing style and the fact that he also plays vibes, some of his solos really sound like he's trying to play the vibes via the piano, either that or he really liked Jackie Byard.

Edited May 14, 2009 by Cliff Englewood

[Big Beat Steve]

I have an original of that LP and like it VERY, VERY much.

And this despite the fact that I am not a fan of flute jazz at all. I often find it - well, Im going to be rude here now - rather "effeminate", especially when played by those who "double" on flute (their main instrument being one of the saxes).

Offhand I wouldn't be able to dissect Eddie Costa's playing (that said, I am somewhat of an Eddie Costa fan too) on this record (would need to give it another spin) but IMHO on this one the interplay of the entire group really is fine throughout and everything falls into place nicely.

As for your final remark about Eddie Costa's piano and vibes style, I agree - his percussive approach really hints in that direction.

Edited May 14, 2009 by Big Beat Steve

[BillF]

Also, is there some sort of link between his piano playing style and the fact that he also plays vibes

Something I've often thought about Victor Feldman, too.

[Cliff Englewood]

I have an original of that LP and like it VERY, VERY much.

And this despite the fact that I am not a fan of flute jazz at all. I often find it - well, Im going to be rude here now - rather "effeminate", especially when played by those who "double" on flute (their main instrument being one of the saxes).

Offhand I wouldn't be able to dissect Eddie Costa's playing (that said, I am somewhat of an Eddie Costa fan too) on this record (would need to give it another spin) but IMHO on this one the interplay of the entire group really is fine throughout and everything falls into place nicely.

As for your final remark about Eddie Costa's piano and vibes style, I agree - his percussive approach really hints in that direction.

Cheers for that Steve, I'm not the biggest fan of flute jazz myself but the whole group on this one in addition to Costa was making me very curious.

[Big Beat Steve]

Actually that LP is spinning on my turntable right now. To give you another impression in a listener's (not critic's words, "Yardbird Suite" obviously is a tune linked with one particular artist and HIS treatment(s) but here where the treatment by necessity (with THAT instrumentation) has to be different it all sounds "just right" and not forced at all and you are not led into making comparisons with the '"master" version (at least I am not). Of course Phil Woods is key factor in it too.

[Teasing the Korean]

SATAN IN HIGH HEELS!!!