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What Got You Into West Coast Jazz?


Tom 1960

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I kind of back doored it in the '50s/'60s meaning I discovered musicians and sorted the geography out later.

That's actually how it went with me (albeit in the 90s) ... the Rollins above thus was meant only half jokingly, as it helped me appreciate Shelly Manne bigtime!

Among the first things I've heard were the Chico Hamilton Mosaic box, then soon after the Bud Shank - I went for the West Coast Classics on Blue Note (well, most of them, somehow two of the best, the Curtis Amy and Earl Anderza escaped me for rather long time, our own brownie rightened the Anderza situation later), and I went for several of the Mode reissues by V.S.O.P. - bought that stuff along with Mosaic boxes from True Blue - loads of it, and there was some West Coast material included pretty often - Conte Candoli, Art Pepper, Frank Rosolino, lots of Chet Baker, also Mulligan ... then it was Shelly Manne whose stuff I started chekcing out.

Got the Gioia book here by now, but didn't start reading it yet.

My real eye-opener in reading up on the subject came a few years earlier thanks to the book "West Coast Jazz" by Alain Tercinet published by Parentheses in France in 1986. The musical and stylistic analyis in the book covers a huge range of recordings that even includes fairly obscure and "insider" artists (no doubt helped by the fact that at that time the vinyl reissue program by Fresh Sound was already in full swing). Too bad this book probably has remained under the radar of most jazz fans interested in WCJ because it was only ever published in French.

That sounds good! It seems it's being reprinted and to be out again in three weeks:

http://www.amazon.fr/West-Coast-Jazz-Alain-Tercinet/dp/2863646656/

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My real eye-opener in reading up on the subject came a few years earlier thanks to the book "West Coast Jazz" by Alain Tercinet published by Parentheses in France in 1986. The musical and stylistic analyis in the book covers a huge range of recordings that even includes fairly obscure and "insider" artists (no doubt helped by the fact that at that time the vinyl reissue program by Fresh Sound was already in full swing). Too bad this book probably has remained under the radar of most jazz fans interested in WCJ because it was only ever published in French.

That sounds good! It seems it's being reprinted and to be out again in three weeks:

http://www.amazon.fr/West-Coast-Jazz-Alain-Tercinet/dp/2863646656/

Interesting ... I wonder if it is a straight reprint or an updated/revised issue.

Two copies of the original issue are currently on ebay.fr, BTW, and a couple more are available from amazon.fr resellers.

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The first west coast jazz albums I got were Vince Guaraldi's 'Black Orpheus', then 'A flower is a lovesome thing', John Lewis' 'Grand encounter' and, in '66, the soundtrack to 'I want to live' and 'Birth of the cool'. I enjoyed all these, though I was never really bowled over by them. Then, later in '66, I heard Les McCann and THAT DID IT! Then there were Groove Holmes' albums for PJ, Gerald Wilson's albums, Billy Larkin & the Delegates, The Jazz Crusaders and Wayne's other band, the Freedom Sounds. All of this was the real stuff to me, so I ditched the stuff I'd bought earlier. I didn't feel the same way about Clare Fischer, however, and I've still got the albums of him that I got in the '67-71 period. Soon, Teddy Edwards, whose work with Gerald Wislon grabbed me kinda slowly, Curtis Amy, Clifford Scott, Paul Bryant, Charles Kynard, Sonny Criss and Hamp Hawes attracted my attention.

In the mid seventies, I encountered Chester Thompson's 'Powerhouse' then 'Spring rain' by Rudy Johnson (whom I knew from his work with Jimmy McGriff) and tried (with difficulty) to follow Black Jazz records, eventually winding up with a few of Gene Russell's albums.

There are probably others I've got into since, but I can't think of them at present.

MG

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My contribution to this thread is:

I have a "like new" copy of Central Avenue Sounds - Jazz in Los Angeles an oral history with interviews of Clora Bryant, Buddy Collette, Horace Tapscott, Gerald Wilson, Marshall Royal, Art Farmer, Big Jay McNeely and others. I'll ship Media Mail to the first US resident who calls dibs.

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MG,

Not familiar with that book but I would say that it looks more narrowly focused than the one I am offering. Central Avenue Sounds covers the entire history of that area, from the earliest beginnings to the heyday to the end. And definitely focused entirely on the jazz side.

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I'm another one that backdoored into the West Coast.

That was in the late '5Os when I was caught up with various musicians and albums starting with Serge Chaloff 'Blue Serge' (recorded in Hollywood for Capitol, hard to be more West Coast than this!), Jimmy Giuffre 'Clarinet', John Lewis/Bill Perkins '2° East, 3° West, to be followed by sessions by Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Chet Baker...

That was just the start!

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MG,

Not familiar with that book but I would say that it looks more narrowly focused than the one I am offering. Central Avenue Sounds covers the entire history of that area, from the earliest beginnings to the heyday to the end. And definitely focused entirely on the jazz side.

Ah, yes, a narrower time period, then, but covering the war, industry, R&B, politics, journalism, churches. I forget what else. Novels & poetry? Not sure. Probably need to read it again.

MG

PS - should have said jazz, too. Also comedians and dancers. And, for TTK, Korla Pandit!!!

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I'm another one that backdoored into the West Coast.

That was in the late '5Os when I was caught up with various musicians and albums starting with Serge Chaloff 'Blue Serge' (recorded in Hollywood for Capitol, hard to be more West Coast than this!), Jimmy Giuffre 'Clarinet', John Lewis/Bill Perkins '2° East, 3° West, to be followed by sessions by Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Chet Baker...

That was just the start!

The only thing the least bit West Coast about "Blue Serge" was that it was recorded in Hollywood and that the bassist was L. Vinnegar. Serge, Sonny Clark, and Phllly Joe Jones could hardly be more East Coast, through Clark did spend some time as house pianist with the Lighthouse All-Stars.

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I'm another one that backdoored into the West Coast.

That was in the late '5Os when I was caught up with various musicians and albums starting with Serge Chaloff 'Blue Serge' (recorded in Hollywood for Capitol, hard to be more West Coast than this!), Jimmy Giuffre 'Clarinet', John Lewis/Bill Perkins '2° East, 3° West, to be followed by sessions by Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Chet Baker...

That was just the start!

The only thing the least bit West Coast about "Blue Serge" was that it was recorded in Hollywood and that the bassist was L. Vinnegar. Serge, Sonny Clark, and Phllly Joe Jones could hardly be more East Coast, through Clark did spend some time as house pianist with the Lighthouse All-Stars.

He was with Sonny Criss on Imperial, too. And with Marable & James Clay on Jazz West. Hm, think I'll get that out and give it a listen this evening.

MG

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I'm another one that backdoored into the West Coast.

That was in the late '5Os when I was caught up with various musicians and albums starting with Serge Chaloff 'Blue Serge' (recorded in Hollywood for Capitol, hard to be more West Coast than this!), Jimmy Giuffre 'Clarinet', John Lewis/Bill Perkins '2° East, 3° West, to be followed by sessions by Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Chet Baker...

That was just the start!

The only thing the least bit West Coast about "Blue Serge" was that it was recorded in Hollywood and that the bassist was L. Vinnegar. Serge, Sonny Clark, and Phllly Joe Jones could hardly be more East Coast, through Clark did spend some time as house pianist with the Lighthouse All-Stars.

Serge, of course, was a Bostonian, as Greg Abate was at pains to point out to me about Charlie Mariano when I described him as a West Coaster.

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Lots of reminiscence on here today!

One of the first jazz albums I heard was the Mulligan/Baker 2xCD thing from the BN West Coast Series and it blew me away... it's still some of my favorite music. I followed the trail in the usual directions, but ultimately don't have loads of West Coast style music in my collection. I'm most partial to the Mosaic Selects-- Curtis Amy, Carmell Jones, Shank/Cooper, PJ Piano Trios, Art Pepper, Gerry Mulligan. I also really like the Jack Sheldon WCC CD.

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I became interested in the music of Shorty Rogers And his Giants, Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker, The Lighthouse Allstars and Dave Brubeck with Paul Desmond at the time their earliest records were released. At roughly the same time period, the early to mid 50's,

I also became a big fan of Bebop and Hard Bop.

As Larry indicated, I learned to appreciate all three styles. From there my jazz interests also began to move back to swing, and eventually to traditional jazz.

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I'm another one that backdoored into the West Coast.

That was in the late '5Os when I was caught up with various musicians and albums starting with Serge Chaloff 'Blue Serge' (recorded in Hollywood for Capitol, hard to be more West Coast than this!), Jimmy Giuffre 'Clarinet', John Lewis/Bill Perkins '2° East, 3° West, to be followed by sessions by Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Chet Baker...

That was just the start!

The only thing the least bit West Coast about "Blue Serge" was that it was recorded in Hollywood and that the bassist was L. Vinnegar. Serge, Sonny Clark, and Phllly Joe Jones could hardly be more East Coast, through Clark did spend some time as house pianist with the Lighthouse All-Stars.

Obviously I should have added an ironic emoticon before posting my answer.

Thought it was plain enough that I was aware of the non-West Coast implications of the various musicians involved!

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One thing I've learned from this thread is that I need to get both the Gordon and Gioia books. :tup

Ted Gioia's book is terrific Tom. It's the best jazz book I've come across.

Well, actually second to "Swing to Bop" by Ira Gitler, IMO. ;)

(Judging by which jazz books I'd take out how often to re-read them at length)

Which doesn't really detract from Ted Gioia's book, though. ;)

Edited by Big Beat Steve
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Special mention, too, for Shelly Manne's more self-consciously "experimental" sessions...

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Art Pepper's SMACK UP was also an important purchase, as it served as my introduction to Pepper's work (thanks to a mention in John Litweiler's FREEDOM PRINCIPLE) as well as to the work of several other West Coast-based composers, notably Jack Montrose, Buddy Collette and Duane Tatro, whose "Maybe Next Year" is given a gorgeous reading by Art and co.

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I'm another one that backdoored into the West Coast.

That was in the late '5Os when I was caught up with various musicians and albums starting with Serge Chaloff 'Blue Serge' (recorded in Hollywood for Capitol, hard to be more West Coast than this!), Jimmy Giuffre 'Clarinet', John Lewis/Bill Perkins '2° East, 3° West, to be followed by sessions by Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Chet Baker...

That was just the start!

The only thing the least bit West Coast about "Blue Serge" was that it was recorded in Hollywood and that the bassist was L. Vinnegar. Serge, Sonny Clark, and Phllly Joe Jones could hardly be more East Coast, through Clark did spend some time as house pianist with the Lighthouse All-Stars.

Obviously I should have added an ironic emoticon before posting my answer.

Thought it was plain enough that I was aware of the non-West Coast implications of the various musicians involved!

Sorry -- I should have known you were being ironic. :)

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The thing that got me into west coast jazz was fake movie/TV/crime/private eye jazz from the late 50s and early 60s. This would include Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn," Stanley Wilson's "M Squad," Leith Stevens' "The Wild One" and "Private Hell 36," and Johnny Mandel's "I Want to Live."

There was only so much of this to listen to, so eventually, when I needed a fix, I had to settle for "real" west coast jazz. While the latter is good, it is nowhere near as inventive or exciting as the fake stuff. This is where it's at. I'll take the fake stuff any day.

Pete Rugolo is an important conduit between these two poles, so he is worth exploring too. And some of Shorty Rogers' early stuff (Cool and Crazy, And His Giants, etc.) sounds like fake TV jazz, so this really good.

Edited by Teasing the Korean
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The thing that got me into west coast jazz was fake movie/TV/crime/private eye jazz from the late 50s and early 60s. This would include Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn," Stanley Wilson's "M Squad," Leith Stevens' "The Wild One" and "Private Hell 36," and Johnny Mandel's "I Want to Live."

There was only so much of this to listen to, so eventually, when I needed a fix, I had to settle for "real" west coast jazz. While the latter is good, it is nowhere near as inventive or exciting as the fake stuff. This is where it's at. I'll take the fake stuff any day.

Pete Rugolo is an important conduit between these two poles, so he is worth exploring too. And some of Shorty Rogers' early stuff (Cool and Crazy, And His Giants, etc.) sounds like fake TV jazz, so this really good.

I remember there was some FWCJ on '77 Sunset Strip', as well as Kookie Burns.

MG

PS Wasn't the music for 77SS by Conte Candoli?

I also remember the music from Staccato - can't remember who did that.

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