Stan Getz

[sal]

Good morning everyone,

On my way to work today, I heard an incredible recording by Stan Getz. I wish I could remember the title of the track, but all I remember was that it was from 1955, and it featured Leroy Vinegar, Shelly Manne, Lou Levy, and a trumpet player whose name I didn't catch. It was very uptempo, swinging....just about perfect. In my five years or so of listening to jazz, and after acquiring over 300 something CDs and about 20 box sets, I still do not have one Stan Getz recording. I know, its pitiful, but I must admit the truth. I've been meaning to remedy this. The "Getz/Gilberto" disc and the new reissue of "Captain Marvel" have been on my list for quite some time, but after this morning, I've decided that I'm going to do something about this right away.

What would you guys recommend as a first Stan Getz purchase? I'd really like to get the CD that contains whatever that recording was that I just heard....something from the mid 50s. And how are the two discs I was thinking about acquiring? Are there some other essentials that I must have? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks and have a great day!

[couw]

you probably heard the album West Coast Jazz (AMG link). It's avaible in the Verve Master Edition series.

Getz/Gilberto is a classic of course. I myself have got a bit weary of it though. This album has been Album of the Week. You can read that discussion following this link

Captain Marvel is a 70s album I believe. I am not familiar with it.

One I have always likes is Stan Getz and Cal Tjader (AMG link), which features pianist Vince Guaraldi, guitarist Eddie Duran, bassist Scott La Faro, and drummer Billy Higgins and some very nice cool jazz drenched music.

[EKE BBB]

Every time is a good time to start with Stan Getz, sal. He´s been underrated by many jazz critics (and jazz morons) just because some of his records (especially with the bossa nova thing) sold rather well. This has been unkind, IMHO, because he is one of the greatest sax players of all times.

I´ll throw in some of my favorite recordings:

-For early Getz, get The complete Roost recordings

-Then you could go into the trilogy (well, at least I call it the trilogy, although it has no sense at all) WEST COAST JAZZ, THE STEAMER and AWARD WINNER.

-FOR MUSICIANS ONLY is an amazing date with Sonny Stitt, Dizzy Gillespie, John Lewis and Herb Ellis.

To be continued

[jazzbo]

Very good suggestions above. I also very much enjoy his final years of recording; he had become a very emotionally expressive and in some ways very risk-taking player. Any album with Kenny Barron or Jim McNeely at the piano chair makes for great listening.

[brownie]

Sal, you just opened a dam. Before the flood waters of all the good Getz albums rush in, here are a few quick recommendations.

The Complete Roost sessions with Jimmy Raney that was issued by Mosaic and is no longer available is out on a 3CD disc on Blue Note. Essential sides.

From the quintet sides with Bob Brookmeyer (my own favorites), I strongly advise you get the 'Getz at the Shrine' concert that was reissued by Verve.

The 'Captain Marvel' album is highly recommended.

So are any Getz albums on Concord. All of them are excellent. A personal favorite is 'Spring Is Here', a quartet session with Lou Levy.

Then there are those later albums with Kenny Baron. Duo and quartet sessions. All excellent; These were discussed recently on the board!

But I love the quartet sides Getz recorded with Swedish pianist Jan Johansson that were reissued by Jazz Unlimited a few years ago.

So many more great Getz dates.

Warned you. The dam busted...

[tjobbe]

you will find manymany Getz reords out there and similar to others there's hardly any real bad one you might be angry about buying it...

If I would choose... buy the one couw suggested with Tjader/Guaraldi and so forth.. the Ginza Samba you won't get out of your head..

Cheers, Tjobbe

EDIT: if you're looking for HiRes Stuff from Getz.. check the Concord Pure Getz SACD... a great sounding record !

Edited January 14, 2004 by tjobbe

[jlhoots]

All good ones so far.

Don't overlook the recent Lost Sessions issue. Really lovely music.

[Late]

Already mentioned, but worth mentioning again.

Stan Getz: The Complete Roost Recordings

Essential Getz. (You also get to hear very early Horace Silver.)

[EKE BBB]

Essential, IMHO:

JJ and Getz with the Oscar Peterson trio plus drummer Connie Kay.

Edited January 14, 2004 by EKE BBB

[GA Russell]

Since you have already been listening to jazz for five years, I highly recommend Sweet Rain, if you can get your hands on a copy. You may have to settle for a used copy.

[kh1958]

My personal favorites and Sweet Rain and Dynasty.

[Quincy]

Like Sal I have about the same number of jazz discs and just 6 weeks ago or so finally picked up some Stan Getz. Looks like the letter "G" will keep expanding on the shelf.

I started with The Steamer and knew within a minute I'd want to hear more.

I'll third (or fourth it) about The Complete Roost Recordings. I found a used copy for $22 and it felt like stealing. It's well worth it at a new price. It has an advantage as an early selection as once one disc is played you have 2 more to listen to.

I've come to the conclusion that there's going to be a lot that I'll want to hear so I've been basing "the next one" on price as much as anything else. The latest additions have been the Jazz In Paris release and I also snagged a used copy of At The Shrine that should arrive today. After a bit of time digesting what I have I'll be hunting for more again (and borrowing suggestions posted here.)

I jokingly call 2003 the year of white saxophonist, as I either "discovered" or expanded my collection with Desmond, Konitz, Marsh, Woods, Tabackin, Zorn, Potter & Getz. I think I'm forgetting a couple too, as it was a pretty busy & wonderful year of listening & discovery!

[Free For All]

In addition to those already mentioned, I also enjoy:

Focus (w/Sauter-Finegan)

The Peacocks (w/Jimmy Rowles)

Bob Brookmeyer and Friends (w/Getz, Gary Burton, Elvin, Herbie and Ron Carter)

Pure Getz

Serenity

People Time (the late duets w/Kenny Barron- very expessive, poignant Getz)

[The Mule]

I agree with Lon about the later-career recordings. I've been listening to a lot of Getz's output on the Concord label lately and my favorite so far is:

I would also highly recommend FOCUS (with strings and considered one of his most challenging dates) but it's hard to find these days:

[BruceH]

Absolutely solid recommendations so far! I've got to toss in another vote for the Stan Getz with Cal Tjader album. Not the first Getz album I got, but always struck me as a great place to start. After that, The Complete Roost Recordings, pictured above. Albums I'd be willing to bet you'll end up listening to again and again and again. Warning: Once you start buying Getz albums, it's hard to stop. Have fun!

[sal]

Thanks alot, everyone! I'm taking notes.

[king ubu]

Lots of good ones have been mentioned already, I'll repeat some of my favorites, nevertheless:

- The Complete Roost 3CD set: essential, not just for Getz, but PRETTY ESSENTIALL JAZZ, in my opinion!

- the bossa dates: Getz/Gilberto, Jazz Samba, Jazz Samba Encore, Getz/Gilberto #2

- the West Coast dates - look if you can find the 3CD set that held them all. Othewise, the albums were reissued since on single CDs: The Steamer, West Coast Jazz, Award Winner, and some tracks on: ...)

- & the Cool Sounds (Verve) - this has some great things on it. Tony Fruscella, Bob Brookmeyer...

- Plays (Verve - a nice companion to the Roost set, more Jimmy Raney, and good one!)

- Poetry, a beautiful duet album with Albert Daily (p) recently reissued by Blue Note

- of the Concord and Barron stuff I know little yet, but Anniversary and Serenity (both on Gitanes/Emarcy/Verve/Universal) are very good.

- in the Universal "Jazz in Paris" series, there has been a Getz album, too. Like that very much. It's called Getz in Paris or something. You should be able to find that for a good prize. It features the Getz quartet with Gary Burton, Steve Swallow and Roy Haynes.

ubu

[tonym]

What more can Isay?

many, many excellent records and so many great 'patches' of creativity.

For a start (if you like straight ahead, really effin' swinging jazz) go with The Steamer. Which of course, has been mentioned. If you love Getz/Giberto ---which I do, and I'll never tire of, then get Jazz Samba Encore! its version of Ebony Samba is a riot.

The sound on his last discs is flawless, recording wise and tone-wise.

A forgotten gem may be Nobody Else But Me where Getz was playing with a new mouthpiece and his sound was growing 'edgier'. Little Girl Blue from this album is a masterpiece.

The Roost 3cd set is magnificent -- you can't go wrong really.

Even his early discs on OJC have the high points.

Finally if you search around a bit you might get chance to hear the Al Haig Trio & Sextet upon which Getz appears at the end of the disc playing a few tunes amongst which is 'Pennies From Heaven --- real Desert Island stuff for me.

When I play I try to incorporate some Getz in every bar (probably really stupid) and I am obviously a pale imitation but, what the hell eh??? He was brilliant.

Buy them all.

[Sundog]

I highly recommend Jazz Samba with Charlie Byrd. It's beyond criticism. Additionally, another vote for People Time.

[chris olivarez]

What an intimidating task. I'll own all the quality Getz music right after I rob a goddamn bank. Here's another vote for "Focus" and I'd like to recommend "the Final Concert Recording" with a core group of Getz,Kenny Barron,Alex Blake and Terri Lynne Carrington. As the title suggests it's a latter era Getz recording and he is in fine form on the date.

[BruceH]

Finally if you search around a bit you might get chance to hear the Al Haig Trio & Sextet upon which Getz appears at the end of the disc playing a few tunes amongst which is 'Pennies From Heaven --- real Desert Island stuff for me.

I actually got this as a birthday present one year. Got a gift card for Borders and went straight to the music section and found it. Never regretted getting it. In short:

[robviti]

for what it's worth, i'd pass on captain marvel for now. it's hardly essential, and there's much better getz for you to look for at this point. i think the 4cd proper box called the sound is a better deal than the roost set. here's an amazon link that has several copies for sale under $17: the sound. as far as the latter years, the already mentioned pure getz can hardly be beat, if for no other reason than to hear stan's superb version of billy strayhorn's blood count. enjoy!

[JSngry]

CAPTAIN MARVEL is one of my favorites, but not as much as SWEET RAIN.

[danasgoodstuff]

I, too, am quite found of Capt. Marvel, Sweet Rain, Focus, The Shrine and The opera House. Haven't heard all the rest by any means, saving something good for my old age! You might as well just get the Bossa Nova Box (what's it called?) since it's all good.

[Free For All]

After reading all these great recommendations, it seems to me that there aren't a whole lot of ways to go wrong with Getz. Different periods have different general moods and some personnel combinations click a bit more than others (and of course some recordings are of better quality if that matters to you) but THE SOUND carries through it all.

When I teach and do clinics, I prioritize the most important elements of playing jazz as 1) SOUND and 2) TIME. This is just my opinion, but to me everything else is dependent on these fundamentals being in place. Getz can have a less-than-perfect day or be playing with a less-than-perfect rhythm section but THE SOUND will still make it happen, and his TIME always feels right to me. He's one of those who I expect could make lesser players play better. I read the biography, I know he was a real jerk at times, but I try to let the music speak for itself. For people like him, that's when the beauty within came out.

Think of all the greats- you could probably identify them quicker from their sound than anything else- Pops, Prez, Hawk, Eldridge, Dizzy, Bird, JJ, Miles, Trane, Morgan, Shorter, Ornette etc.

Sound is what it's all about, IMHO.