Search - Conte Candoli :: Modern Sounds from the West

Lively west coast jazz

James A. Vedda | Alexandria, VA USA | 06/06/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The product of four recording sessions in 1954-56, this is an hour of spirited jazz that will make you feel good. For fans of the west coast style and trumpeter Conte Candoli, this is a must-have. Conte leads three of the sessions, consisting of four tracks each, featuring quintet, sextet, and septet. In the fourth session, Harry Edison replaces Conte on trumpet for four more tracks with a sextet.

Other notable soloists on these sessions include Herb Geller, Charlie Mariano, Buddy Collette, and Jimmy Giuffre on saxes, Marty Paich and Lorraine Geller on piano, and John Graas treating us to the rare sound of jazz French horn. Also present on the Edison tracks is multi-instrumentalist Bob Enevoldsen, best known for effortlessly switching between the unusual combination of tenor sax and valve trombone.

Some of the tunes are originals written by band members, including one each from Candoli, Graas, and Collette. Pete Rugolo contributed one tune and the prolific Shorty Rogers penned seven of the selections.

Whether you choose to put it on for serious listening or background music, this set is one that you'll keep coming back to."