Contemporary Records series upcoming on Concord/Craft

[jazzbo]

News for you Contemporary Records fans:
https://craftrecordings.com/blogs/news/craft-recordings-celebrates-70-years-of-contemporary-records

Edited 3 Dec 2021 by jazzbo

[sonnymax]

bad link

[bresna]

Maybe this one?

https://craftrecordings.com/blogs/news/craft-recordings-celebrates-70-years-of-contemporary-records

[jazzbo]

Thanks Kevin, I corrected it above. Worked elsewhere I posted it.

Edited 3 Dec 2021 by jazzbo

[Pim]

Great news! Hope they are not going to do a reissue of Simmons’ Rumasuma for I just spent a lot of money for an original copy…. 

[felser]

36 minutes ago, Pim said:

Great news! Hope they are not going to do a reissue of Simmons’ Rumasuma for I just spent a lot of money for an original copy…. 

On the other hand, the first thing I thought of when I saw the topic was that I hope they ARE going to reissue Rumasuma.  But, it being Concord, we're more likely to get a 34 minute CD of "Sonny Simmons Plays for Lovers".

[Pim]

19 minutes ago, felser said:

On the other hand, the first thing I thought of when I saw the topic was that I hope they ARE going to reissue Rumasuma.  But, it being Concord, we're more likely to get a 34 minute CD of "Sonny Simmons Plays for Lovers".

Haha selfish of me! Of course a reissue would be great  but I would feel a little goofy spending so much money on an original copy just one day before the announcement  

Also got my eye on a way too expansive vinyl issue of Max Roach ‘Members don’t Get Weary’. But I have a feeling it might get reissued soon. What to do, what to do….

[felser]

19 minutes ago, Pim said:

Also got my eye on a way too expansive vinyl issue of Max Roach ‘Members don’t Get Weary’. But I have a feeling it might get reissued soon. What to do, what to do….

First thing to do is to pay $8 to download the album from Amazon, which breaks my own rule of don't pay for downloads (I break it myself on special occasions) while you hold out for a good price on a CD of it. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00261209U/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp

Then, immediately put "Effi" on repeat play from youtube, official courtesy of WEA, totally legal:

 

[HutchFan]

I'd be more interested if these initial five releases weren't compilations. 

Then again, many of us are probably not their target demographic. If these reissues pull in some newbies, that's a good thing, I suppose.

 

Edited 3 Dec 2021 by HutchFan

[Pim]

53 minutes ago, felser said:

First thing to do is to pay $8 to download the album from Amazon, which breaks my own rule of don't pay for downloads (I break it myself on special occasions) while you hold out for a good price on a CD of it. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00261209U/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp

Then, immediately put "Effi" on repeat play from youtube, official courtesy of WEA, totally legal:

 

It’s on Spotify so fortunately I already have access to this fantastic music. But still looking for a physical format and then it’s vinyl I am looking for

[felser]

4 minutes ago, Pim said:

It’s on Spotify so fortunately I already have access to this fantastic music. But still looking for a physical format and then it’s vinyl I am looking for

Good luck on that!

[T.D.]

1 hour ago, HutchFan said:

I'd be more interested if these initial five releases weren't compilations. 

Then again, many of us are probably not their target demographic. If these reissues pull in some newbies, that's a good thing, I suppose.

 

Well said.

No interest in these compilations, will have to see what's down the road.

[JSngry]

Into whose industrious hands does the "classical" series need to fall before OUT they come? Am I going to live that long? Is Earth? Is the Universe?

[jazzcorner]

2 hours ago, HutchFan said:

I'd be more interested if these initial five releases weren't compilations. 

Then again, many of us are probably not their target demographic. If these reissues pull in some newbies, that's a good thing, I suppose.

 

Just my thoughts as Contemporary collector.

The first Issues look like a big mix of tracks from different original   not always matching together LPs means all are a bunch of compilations which is NOT the original Contemporary line.

To get 2 missing tracks I probably  wont invest in such an compilation.

 

Edited 3 Dec 2021 by jazzcorner

[jlhoots]

1 minute ago, jazzcorner said:

Just my thoughts as Contemporary collector.

The fist issues look like a big mix of tracks from different original  LPs means all are a bunch of compilations.

To get 2 missing tracks I probably  wont invest in such an compilation.

 

Nor will I!!

[Ken Dryden]

I don't buy compilations of previously issued material, unless it is a Mosaic boxed set or a similar package that is comprehensive instead of being a scattershot single compilation of tracks from many albums.

I also detest downloads, CDs are always the better option for me. 

 

[felser]

When's the last time Concord did something right with their jazz holdings?  Can't think of anything since those three Trane boxes, which we believe were in the Fantasy pipeline at the time of the sale.

[mikeweil]

Those Contemporary albums sound so good, they should have reissued them all on hybrid SACDs.

[porcy62]

Some of Contemporay's original pressings are on discogs at affordable price.

[GA Russell]

 

CRAFT RECORDINGS CELEBRATES 70 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY RECORDS On Contemporary: André Previn If the Berlin-born Previn (April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) tends to be forgotten these days as an ebulliently swinging jazz pianist with a bright, bell-like touch, it’s because he was so brilliant in such a range of musical endeavors. Writing for MGM while still a teenager, he went on to win four Academy Awards® for his film scores and 10 GRAMMY® Awards.   He spent the second half of his life as the principal conductor for some of the world’s greatest orchestras. As a jazz pianist, he recorded prolifically for Contemporary between 1957 and 1960, and this playlist focuses on his hugely popular trio with bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Shelly Manne (or Frankie Capp), a group best known for a series of albums devoted to musicals like Pal Joey, Gigi and West Side Story.   2021 marks 70 years of Contemporary Records, the Los Angeles-based audiophile jazz label that both defined and radically expanded the sound of West Coast jazz. Throughout the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, Lester Koenig’s artist-friendly company released career-defining performances by some of modern jazz’s most influential and accomplished improvisers, including Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Hampton Hawes, Art Pepper, Harold Land, Shelly Manne and Teddy Edwards. In celebrating the history of this essential label and its exceptional catalog, Craft Recordings is releasing a variety of content throughout the coming year, including deluxe box sets, vinyl reissues, SACDs and digital compilations, as well as exclusive merchandise, video content and curated playlists. Full details of these new releases to follow.   Kicking off the campaign today, December 3, are five digital On Contemporary compilations focusing on individual jazz giants: Art Pepper, Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, André Previn and Shelly Manne. A sixth release, The Saxophonists, offers a tantalizing glimpse at the depth of the Contemporary catalog with an array of era-defining horn players. Included are three of the most consequential players to ever pick up the sax, with Benny Carter, the man who tamed the horn in the 1920s and kept it in the vanguard into the 21st century; the supremely expressive Art Pepper; and the revolutionary Ornette Coleman. Also featured are heavyweights Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, Benny Golson, Harold Land, Bob Cooper and Teddy Edwards.   Taken together, the compilations make an indisputable case for Contemporary’s central role in documenting the evolution of modern jazz in the decades after World War II, while foregrounding Los Angeles as a proving ground for transformational talent.   About Contemporary Records Founded in 1951 by Lester Koenig (December 3, 1917 – November 21, 1977), Contemporary Records is a uniquely Hollywood story. An intellectual who loved the arts, Koenig (pronounced kay-nig) thrived in the film industry as a screenwriter, co-producer and assistant to William Wyler, playing an important role on landmark films such as The Best Years of Our Lives, Detective Story and Roman Holiday.   Koenig’s life in movies was effectively ended by the Red Scare in 1953, when he was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He was flayed by the conservative Hollywood establishment for having left-wing sympathies, and blacklisted he turned his attention to Good Time Jazz, a label he’d launched in 1949, to record a Dixieland combo featuring players who all had day jobs with Disney. He initially created Contemporary as an outlet for new contemporary classical works, but his ears were wide open and by the mid-1950s many of Southern California’s most exciting jazz artists were eager to document their music in what was rapidly becoming one of the best studios on the West Coast under the auspices of Roy DuNann, the sound engineer Koenig lured away from Capitol Records in 1956.    The artists responded to Koenig’s steadfast faith in their creativity, and Contemporary became the essential vehicle for L.A. modernists and East Coast players looking for respite from the New York hustle. Seven decades later, the label’s legacy looks more imposing than ever, as the albums that Lester Koenig and his son John recorded continue to inspire and influence leading players on the contemporary scene.   For up-to-date release information and news on the Contemporary Records 70th anniversary campaign, stay tuned to @craftrecordings and craftrecordings.com/contemporaryrecords.       Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord Recorded Music. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.    Artist Title Time       Andre Previn Trio I'll Remember April 06:23       André Previn ft. Shelly Manne, Red Mitchell I Could Write A Book 04:53       André Previn Long Ago (And Far Away) 05:25       André Previn ft. Shelly Manne, Red Mitchell Tonight 05:22       André Previn Autumn In New York 03:52       Andre Previn Trio You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To 07:02       André Previn ft. Shelly Manne, Red Mitchell Bewitched 05:39       André Previn A Fine Romance 02:36       Andre Previn A Sleepin' Bee 03:48       Andre Previn Trio I'm Beginning To See The Light 08:00       Andre Previn Stormy Weather 04:58       Andre Previn, Shelly Manne, Red Mitchell The Parisians 04:34       André Previn ft. Shelly Manne, Red Mitchell What Is A Man? 03:21       Andre Previn, Shelly Manne, Red Mitchell Gigi 05:41       André Previn ft. Shelly Manne, Red Mitchell I Feel Pretty 06:46

[GA Russell]

 

CRAFT RECORDINGS CELEBRATES 70 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY RECORDS On Contemporary: Art Pepper In the aftermath of Charlie Parker, no alto saxophonist blazed a more brilliant alternative path than Pepper (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982), who forged a lyrical detour bypassing bebop despite his love of Bird. The L.A. native poured his tormented soul into his horn, recording a series of classic albums between stints in prison due to his addiction to heroin.   His Contemporary sessions rank among his very best work, and this anthology includes choice pieces from his 1957 encounter with Miles Davis’ sidemen on Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section, the scorching 1960 album Smack Up through his triumphant 1977 run at the Village Vanguard with George Cables, Elvin Jones and George Mraz, represented here with a sublime version of “Over the Rainbow.”   2021 marks 70 years of Contemporary Records, the Los Angeles-based audiophile jazz label that both defined and radically expanded the sound of West Coast jazz. Throughout the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, Lester Koenig’s artist-friendly company released career-defining performances by some of modern jazz’s most influential and accomplished improvisers, including Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Hampton Hawes, Art Pepper, Harold Land, Shelly Manne and Teddy Edwards. In celebrating the history of this essential label and its exceptional catalog, Craft Recordings is releasing a variety of content throughout the coming year, including deluxe box sets, vinyl reissues, SACDs and digital compilations, as well as exclusive merchandise, video content and curated playlists. Full details of these new releases to follow.   Kicking off the campaign last Friday, December 3, are five digital On Contemporary compilations focusing on individual jazz giants: Art Pepper, Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, André Previn and Shelly Manne. A sixth release, The Saxophonists, offers a tantalizing glimpse at the depth of the Contemporary catalog with an array of era-defining horn players. Included are three of the most consequential players to ever pick up the sax, with Benny Carter, the man who tamed the horn in the 1920s and kept it in the vanguard into the 21st century; the supremely expressive Art Pepper; and the revolutionary Ornette Coleman. Also featured are heavyweights Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, Benny Golson, Harold Land, Bob Cooper and Teddy Edwards.   Taken together, the compilations make an indisputable case for Contemporary’s central role in documenting the evolution of modern jazz in the decades after World War II, while foregrounding Los Angeles as a proving ground for transformational talent.   About Contemporary Records Founded in 1951 by Lester Koenig (December 3, 1917 – November 21, 1977), Contemporary Records is a uniquely Hollywood story. An intellectual who loved the arts, Koenig (pronounced kay-nig) thrived in the film industry as a screenwriter, co-producer and assistant to William Wyler, playing an important role on landmark films such as The Best Years of Our Lives, Detective Story and Roman Holiday.   Koenig’s life in movies was effectively ended by the Red Scare in 1953, when he was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He was flayed by the conservative Hollywood establishment for having left-wing sympathies, and blacklisted he turned his attention to Good Time Jazz, a label he’d launched in 1949, to record a Dixieland combo featuring players who all had day jobs with Disney. He initially created Contemporary as an outlet for new contemporary classical works, but his ears were wide open and by the mid-1950s many of Southern California’s most exciting jazz artists were eager to document their music in what was rapidly becoming one of the best studios on the West Coast under the auspices of Roy DuNann, the sound engineer Koenig lured away from Capitol Records in 1956.    The artists responded to Koenig’s steadfast faith in their creativity, and Contemporary became the essential vehicle for L.A. modernists and East Coast players looking for respite from the New York hustle. Seven decades later, the label’s legacy looks more imposing than ever, as the albums that Lester Koenig and his son John recorded continue to inspire and influence leading players on the contemporary scene.   For up-to-date release information and news on the Contemporary Records 70th anniversary campaign, stay tuned to @craftrecordings and craftrecordings.com/contemporaryrecords.       Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord Recorded Music. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.    Artist Title Time       Art Pepper You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To 05:28       Art Pepper Quintet Smack Up 04:17       Art Pepper Come Rain Or Come Shine 04:46       Art Pepper Red Pepper Blues 03:41       Art Pepper Airegin 03:03       Art Pepper Imagination 05:56       Art Pepper Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise 06:57       Art Pepper All The Things You Are 06:33       Art Pepper 'Round Midnight 03:34       Art Pepper I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me 05:27       Art Pepper Quintet How Can You Lose 06:55       Art Pepper The Man I Love 06:34       Art Pepper Birks Works 04:18       Art Pepper Four Brothers 03:01       Art Pepper Over The Rainbow (Live At The Village Vanguard / 1977) 06:52

[mikeweil]

Only for newbies.

[GA Russell]

 

 

 

CRAFT RECORDINGS CELEBRATES 70 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY RECORDS On Contemporary: Barney Kessel A guitar virtuoso (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) from Muskogee, Oklahoma, Kessel was one of Contemporary’s busiest artists between 1954 and 1963. He had already recorded with Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday and Oscar Peterson when he started making his own albums for Koenig.   This compilation draws from both his own sessions and his numerous releases with The Poll Winners, a trio with Shelly Manne and Ray Brown with a moniker boasting of their long run topping critics’ polls in Downbeat and Metronome. While Kessel spent decades playing thousands of studio dates as a member of the legendary L.A. studio cadre the Wrecking Crew, he continued to record exceptional albums for Contemporary through the 1980s.   2021 marks 70 years of Contemporary Records, the Los Angeles-based audiophile jazz label that both defined and radically expanded the sound of West Coast jazz. Throughout the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, Lester Koenig’s artist-friendly company released career-defining performances by some of modern jazz’s most influential and accomplished improvisers, including Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Hampton Hawes, Art Pepper, Harold Land, Shelly Manne and Teddy Edwards. In celebrating the history of this essential label and its exceptional catalog, Craft Recordings is releasing a variety of content throughout the coming year, including deluxe box sets, vinyl reissues, SACDs and digital compilations, as well as exclusive merchandise, video content and curated playlists. Full details of these new releases to follow.   Kicking off the campaign last Friday, Dec 3, are five digital On Contemporary compilations focusing on individual jazz giants: Art Pepper, Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, André Previn and Shelly Manne. A sixth release, The Saxophonists, offers a tantalizing glimpse at the depth of the Contemporary catalog with an array of era-defining horn players. Included are three of the most consequential players to ever pick up the sax, with Benny Carter, the man who tamed the horn in the 1920s and kept it in the vanguard into the 21st century; the supremely expressive Art Pepper; and the revolutionary Ornette Coleman. Also featured are heavyweights Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, Benny Golson, Harold Land, Bob Cooper and Teddy Edwards.   Taken together, the compilations make an indisputable case for Contemporary’s central role in documenting the evolution of modern jazz in the decades after World War II, while foregrounding Los Angeles as a proving ground for transformational talent.   About Contemporary Records Founded in 1951 by Lester Koenig (December 3, 1917 – November 21, 1977), Contemporary Records is a uniquely Hollywood story. An intellectual who loved the arts, Koenig (pronounced kay-nig) thrived in the film industry as a screenwriter, co-producer and assistant to William Wyler, playing an important role on landmark films such as The Best Years of Our Lives, Detective Story and Roman Holiday.   Koenig’s life in movies was effectively ended by the Red Scare in 1953, when he was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He was flayed by the conservative Hollywood establishment for having left-wing sympathies, and blacklisted he turned his attention to Good Time Jazz, a label he’d launched in 1949, to record a Dixieland combo featuring players who all had day jobs with Disney. He initially created Contemporary as an outlet for new contemporary classical works, but his ears were wide open and by the mid-1950s many of Southern California’s most exciting jazz artists were eager to document their music in what was rapidly becoming one of the best studios on the West Coast under the auspices of Roy DuNann, the sound engineer Koenig lured away from Capitol Records in 1956.    The artists responded to Koenig’s steadfast faith in their creativity, and Contemporary became the essential vehicle for L.A. modernists and East Coast players looking for respite from the New York hustle. Seven decades later, the label’s legacy looks more imposing than ever, as the albums that Lester Koenig and his son John recorded continue to inspire and influence leading players on the contemporary scene.   For up-to-date release information and news on the Contemporary Records 70th anniversary campaign, stay tuned to @craftrecordings and craftrecordings.com/contemporaryrecords.       Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord Recorded Music. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.    Artist Title Time       Barney Kessel Indiana 03:12       Barney Kessel ft. Ray Brown, Shelly Manne On Green Dolphin Street 04:02       Barney Kessel, Ray Brown, Shelly Manne A Foggy Day 03:08       Barney Kessel Volare 04:22       Barney Kessel Down Among The Sheltering Palms 04:03       Barney Kessel On A Slow Boat To China 03:18       Barney Kessel Just In Time 04:58       Barney Kessel ft. Ray Brown, Shelly Manne Satin Doll 06:32       Barney Kessel, Shelly Manne, Ray Brown Mack The Knife 03:52       Barney Kessel, Shelly Manne, Ray Brown The Merry Go Round Broke Down 02:13       Barney Kessel Lullaby Of Birdland 03:08       Barney Kessel Embraceable You 03:23       Barney Kessel, Shelly Manne, Ray Brown Little Susie 03:57       Barney Kessel, Ray Brown, Shelly Manne Caravan 06:00       Barney Kessel 12th Street Rag 02:59

 

CRAFT RECORDINGS CELEBRATES 70 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY RECORDS On Contemporary: Hampton Hawes Much like Art Pepper, a fellow Angelino, Hampton Hawes (November 13, 1928 – May 22, 1977) would make an excellent subject for a Hollywood biopic (and like Pepper’s memoir Straight Life, Hawes’ Raise Up Off Me is a classic account of the jazz life that could serve as the screenplay).   Even more memorable than his evocative prose were his funky, irrepressibly grooving trio and quartet sessions for Contemporary, his primary label throughout his career. Like a West Coast Horace Silver, Hawes honed an utterly personal church-steeped sound inspired by but not beholden to bebop, and this collection captures the breadth and depth of one of jazz’s most appealing yet unsung pianists.   2021 marks 70 years of Contemporary Records, the Los Angeles-based audiophile jazz label that both defined and radically expanded the sound of West Coast jazz. Throughout the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, Lester Koenig’s artist-friendly company released career-defining performances by some of modern jazz’s most influential and accomplished improvisers, including Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Hampton Hawes, Art Pepper, Harold Land, Shelly Manne and Teddy Edwards. In celebrating the history of this essential label and its exceptional catalog, Craft Recordings is releasing a variety of content throughout the coming year, including deluxe box sets, vinyl reissues, SACDs and digital compilations, as well as exclusive merchandise, video content and curated playlists. Full details of these new releases to follow.   Kicking off the campaign last Friday, Dec 3, are five digital On Contemporary compilations focusing on individual jazz giants: Art Pepper, Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, André Previn and Shelly Manne. A sixth release, The Saxophonists, offers a tantalizing glimpse at the depth of the Contemporary catalog with an array of era-defining horn players. Included are three of the most consequential players to ever pick up the sax, with Benny Carter, the man who tamed the horn in the 1920s and kept it in the vanguard into the 21st century; the supremely expressive Art Pepper; and the revolutionary Ornette Coleman. Also featured are heavyweights Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, Benny Golson, Harold Land, Bob Cooper and Teddy Edwards.   Taken together, the compilations make an indisputable case for Contemporary’s central role in documenting the evolution of modern jazz in the decades after World War II, while foregrounding Los Angeles as a proving ground for transformational talent.   About Contemporary Records Founded in 1951 by Lester Koenig (December 3, 1917 – November 21, 1977), Contemporary Records is a uniquely Hollywood story. An intellectual who loved the arts, Koenig (pronounced kay-nig) thrived in the film industry as a screenwriter, co-producer and assistant to William Wyler, playing an important role on landmark films such as The Best Years of Our Lives, Detective Story and Roman Holiday.   Koenig’s life in movies was effectively ended by the Red Scare in 1953, when he was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He was flayed by the conservative Hollywood establishment for having left-wing sympathies, and blacklisted he turned his attention to Good Time Jazz, a label he’d launched in 1949, to record a Dixieland combo featuring players who all had day jobs with Disney. He initially created Contemporary as an outlet for new contemporary classical works, but his ears were wide open and by the mid-1950s many of Southern California’s most exciting jazz artists were eager to document their music in what was rapidly becoming one of the best studios on the West Coast under the auspices of Roy DuNann, the sound engineer Koenig lured away from Capitol Records in 1956.    The artists responded to Koenig’s steadfast faith in their creativity, and Contemporary became the essential vehicle for L.A. modernists and East Coast players looking for respite from the New York hustle. Seven decades later, the label’s legacy looks more imposing than ever, as the albums that Lester Koenig and his son John recorded continue to inspire and influence leading players on the contemporary scene.   For up-to-date release information and news on the Contemporary Records 70th anniversary campaign, stay tuned to @craftrecordings and craftrecordings.com/contemporaryrecords.     Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord Recorded Music. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.    Artist Title Time       Hampton Hawes Trio I Got Rhythm 03:19       Hampton Hawes Hip 06:16       Hampton Hawes Trio Autumn In New York 05:22       Hampton Hawes Trio The Champ 05:24       Hampton Hawes Trio Blues The Most 05:44       Hampton Hawes ft. Barney Kessel, Red Mitchell, Shelly Manne Like Someone In Love 03:21       Hampton Hawes Trio You And The Night And The Music 03:47       Hampton Hawes Quartet Hampton's Pulpit 11:15       Hampton Hawes ft. Barney Kessel, Red Mitchell, Shelly Manne Yardbird Suite 06:40       Hampton Hawes ft. Harold Land, Scott LaFaro, Frank Butler Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams 09:20       Hampton Hawes Quartet Broadway 06:51       Hampton Hawes Morning 07:29       Hampton Hawes ft. Harold Land, Scott LaFaro, Frank Butler I Love You 03:59       Hampton Hawes Trio 'Round Midnight 05:21       Hampton Hawes Trio Carioca 02:25

[GA Russell]

 

CRAFT RECORDINGS CELEBRATES 70 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY RECORDS CRAFT RECORDINGS CELEBRATES 70 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY RECORDS   On Contemporary: Shelly Manne One of the most prolifically recorded drummers in jazz history, the versatile Shelly Manne (June 11, 1920 – September 26, 1984) was another pillar of the Contemporary Records fold who elevated every project he worked on. Aside from the first track, a graceful date led by André Previn, this compilation focuses on Manne’s extensive catalog as a leader and co-leader.   With equal parts force and finesse, he powered some of the era’s most exciting hard bop sessions, though his bands tend to be overlooked today because his players didn’t go on to wider fame, à la Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. But Manne’s muscular trap work made his L.A.-based bands consistently compelling, particularly when they stretched out in a nightclub.   Almost a third of the compilation covers Shelly Manne & His Men at San Francisco’s flagship jazzspot The Black Hawk on a particularly torrid 1959 run, though the concluding track comes from a live 1961 date in his own Hollywood room, Shelly’s Manne-Hole.   2021 marks 70 years of Contemporary Records, the Los Angeles-based audiophile jazz label that both defined and radically expanded the sound of West Coast jazz. Throughout the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, Lester Koenig’s artist-friendly company released career-defining performances by some of modern jazz’s most influential and accomplished improvisers, including Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Hampton Hawes, Art Pepper, Harold Land, Shelly Manne and Teddy Edwards. In celebrating the history of this essential label and its exceptional catalog, Craft Recordings is releasing a variety of content throughout the coming year, including deluxe box sets, vinyl reissues, SACDs and digital compilations, as well as exclusive merchandise, video content and curated playlists. Full details of these new releases to follow.   Kicking off the campaign last Friday, Dec 3, are five digital On Contemporary compilations focusing on individual jazz giants: Art Pepper, Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, André Previn and Shelly Manne. A sixth release, The Saxophonists, offers a tantalizing glimpse at the depth of the Contemporary catalog with an array of era-defining horn players. Included are three of the most consequential players to ever pick up the sax, with Benny Carter, the man who tamed the horn in the 1920s and kept it in the vanguard into the 21st century; the supremely expressive Art Pepper; and the revolutionary Ornette Coleman. Also featured are heavyweights Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, Benny Golson, Harold Land, Bob Cooper and Teddy Edwards.   Taken together, the compilations make an indisputable case for Contemporary’s central role in documenting the evolution of modern jazz in the decades after World War II, while foregrounding Los Angeles as a proving ground for transformational talent.   About Contemporary Records Founded in 1951 by Lester Koenig (December 3, 1917 – November 21, 1977), Contemporary Records is a uniquely Hollywood story. An intellectual who loved the arts, Koenig (pronounced kay-nig) thrived in the film industry as a screenwriter, co-producer and assistant to William Wyler, playing an important role on landmark films such as The Best Years of Our Lives, Detective Story and Roman Holiday.   Koenig’s life in movies was effectively ended by the Red Scare in 1953, when he was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He was flayed by the conservative Hollywood establishment for having left-wing sympathies, and blacklisted he turned his attention to Good Time Jazz, a label he’d launched in 1949, to record a Dixieland combo featuring players who all had day jobs with Disney. He initially created Contemporary as an outlet for new contemporary classical works, but his ears were wide open and by the mid-1950s many of Southern California’s most exciting jazz artists were eager to document their music in what was rapidly becoming one of the best studios on the West Coast under the auspices of Roy DuNann, the sound engineer Koenig lured away from Capitol Records in 1956.    The artists responded to Koenig’s steadfast faith in their creativity, and Contemporary became the essential vehicle for L.A. modernists and East Coast players looking for respite from the New York hustle. Seven decades later, the label’s legacy looks more imposing than ever, as the albums that Lester Koenig and his son John recorded continue to inspire and influence leading players on the contemporary scene.   For up-to-date release information and news on the Contemporary Records 70th anniversary campaign, stay tuned to @craftrecordings and craftrecordings.com/contemporaryrecords.       Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord Recorded Music. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.    Artist Title Time       Shelly Manne & His Friends ft. Shelly Manne, André Previn, Leroy Vinnegar I Could Have Danced All Night 03:01       Shelly Manne Peter Gunn 02:15       Shelly Manne If I Had My Druthers 02:45       Shelly Manne, Stu Williamson, Charlie Mariano, Russ Freeman, Leroy Vinnegar Slan 04:52       Shelly Manne & His Friends ft. Shelly Manne, André Previn, Leroy Vinnegar Get Me To The Church On Time 04:12       Shelly Manne and His Men Blue Steel 04:51       Shelly Manne You And The Night And The Music 03:08       Shelly Manne Billie's Bounce 04:08       Shelly Manne Flip 02:58       Shelly Manne Exodus 04:37       Shelly Manne and His Men I Am In Love 12:20       Shelly Manne and His Men Step Lightly 12:58       Shelly Manne and His Men Cabu 10:59       Shelly Manne and His Men Summertime (Live At The Black Hawk / 1959) 12:01       Shelly Manne and His Men The Champ (Live At Shelly's Manne-Hole / 1961) 11:06

 

CRAFT RECORDINGS CELEBRATES 70 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY RECORDS On Contemporary: The Saxophonists The Saxophonists – Various Artists offers a tantalizing glimpse at the depth of the Contemporary Records catalog with an array of era-defining horn players. The tenor titans represented include undisputed heavyweights Ben Webster, Sonny Rollins and Benny Golson, as well as two masters often overlooked due to their L.A. addresses, Harold Land and Teddy Edwards, who both did some of their finest work for the label. The irrepressibly swinging Bob Cooper shines on a solo date away from his usual spot in the Lighthouse All-Stars.   Upholding the alto’s essential role are three of the most consequent players to ever pick up the sax, with Benny Carter, the man who tamed the horn in the 1920s and kept it in the vanguard into the 21st century; the supremely expressive Art Pepper; and the revolutionary Ornette Coleman. A track by the lithe, cool-toned Lennie Niehaus, who’s better remembered these days for his extensive work on film and television scores, recalls a major talent who took another path.   2021 marks 70 years of Contemporary Records, the Los Angeles-based audiophile jazz label that both defined and radically expanded the sound of West Coast jazz. Throughout the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, Lester Koenig’s artist-friendly company released career-defining performances by some of modern jazz’s most influential and accomplished improvisers, including Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Hampton Hawes, Art Pepper, Harold Land, Shelly Manne and Teddy Edwards. In celebrating the history of this essential label and its exceptional catalog, Craft Recordings is releasing a variety of content throughout the coming year, including deluxe box sets, vinyl reissues, SACDs and digital compilations, as well as exclusive merchandise, video content and curated playlists. Full details of these new releases to follow.   Kicking off the campaign last Friday, Dec 3, are five digital On Contemporary compilations focusing on individual jazz giants: Art Pepper, Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, André Previn and Shelly Manne. A sixth release, The Saxophonists, offers a tantalizing glimpse at the depth of the Contemporary catalog with an array of era-defining horn players. Included are three of the most consequential players to ever pick up the sax, with Benny Carter, the man who tamed the horn in the 1920s and kept it in the vanguard into the 21st century; the supremely expressive Art Pepper; and the revolutionary Ornette Coleman. Also featured are heavyweights Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, Benny Golson, Harold Land, Bob Cooper and Teddy Edwards.   Taken together, the compilations make an indisputable case for Contemporary’s central role in documenting the evolution of modern jazz in the decades after World War II, while foregrounding Los Angeles as a proving ground for transformational talent.   About Contemporary Records Founded in 1951 by Lester Koenig (December 3, 1917 – November 21, 1977), Contemporary Records is a uniquely Hollywood story. An intellectual who loved the arts, Koenig (pronounced kay-nig) thrived in the film industry as a screenwriter, co-producer and assistant to William Wyler, playing an important role on landmark films such as The Best Years of Our Lives, Detective Story and Roman Holiday.   Koenig’s life in movies was effectively ended by the Red Scare in 1953, when he was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He was flayed by the conservative Hollywood establishment for having left-wing sympathies, and blacklisted he turned his attention to Good Time Jazz, a label he’d launched in 1949, to record a Dixieland combo featuring players who all had day jobs with Disney. He initially created Contemporary as an outlet for new contemporary classical works, but his ears were wide open and by the mid-1950s many of Southern California’s most exciting jazz artists were eager to document their music in what was rapidly becoming one of the best studios on the West Coast under the auspices of Roy DuNann, the sound engineer Koenig lured away from Capitol Records in 1956.    The artists responded to Koenig’s steadfast faith in their creativity, and Contemporary became the essential vehicle for L.A. modernists and East Coast players looking for respite from the New York hustle. Seven decades later, the label’s legacy looks more imposing than ever, as the albums that Lester Koenig and his son John recorded continue to inspire and influence leading players on the contemporary scene.   For up-to-date release information and news on the Contemporary Records 70th anniversary campaign, stay tuned to @craftrecordings and craftrecordings.com/contemporaryrecords.       Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord Recorded Music. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.    Artist Title Time       Art Pepper Four Brothers 03:02       Sonny Rollins I'm An Old Cowhand 05:43       Ornette Coleman Invisible 04:12       Harold Land Grooveyard 07:07       Benny Carter Ain't She Sweet 03:39       Art Pepper Quintet Smack Up 04:17       Benny Golson Whisper Not 06:01       Sonny Rollins I've Told Ev'ry Little Star 05:24       Teddy Edwards Quartet The Sermon 07:05       Art Pepper You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To 05:28       Harold Land The Fox 05:34       Lennie Niehaus Quintet Day By Day 03:38       Ornette Coleman Turnaround 07:53       Bob Cooper Jazz Theme And Four Variations - 2nd Variation: Happy Changes 04:01       Ben Webster Georgia On My Mind (Live At The Renaissance, Hollywood, CA / October 14, 1960) 06:50

[Holy Ghost]

On 12/3/2021 at 0:41 PM, Pim said:

Great news! Hope they are not going to do a reissue of Simmons’ Rumasuma for I just spent a lot of money for an original copy…. 

Well yes and no ( don't count on it.) Cover art is superb for it's time. Burning Spirits was it (good luck getting a copy).