Definitive West Coast Jazz
Doug Norwood | High Point NC USA | 03/24/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"During much of the '50s, a genre called "West Coast Jazz" was extremely popular within jazz circles. This style was first defined by the Shorty Rogers Giants in an October 1951 session issued on a 10" Capitol LP called "Modern Sounds". Rogers was a capable, if somewhat bland, trumpet player and a brilliant arranger who had contributed to both the Woody Herman and Stan Kenton organizations.
This initial session included several of the musicians who were to be prominent in the West Coast "movement" including Art Pepper, Jimmy Giuffre and John Graas. With the exception of Giuffre, all these had been associated with the Stan Kenton orchestra at one time or another. The music, all arranged by Rogers, was similar to the Miles Davis Tentet in instrumentation and voicing but melodically was riff based and more akin to Herman or Basie.
This ProperBox set includes all studio sessions issued under Shorty Rogers' name between October 1951 and September 1954 as well as some live material from the Lighthouse and the Rendezvous Ballroom. Along with the various incarnations of the Giants, there are also several sessions by larger ensembles demonstating Rogers' mastery of big band arranging.
During the latter half of the fifties, West Coast Jazz began to lose favor with the rise of hard bop and the first stirrings of free jazz and the avant garde. However, most of the musicians who had been prominent during the period continued to be active in jazz and in some cases still had their best days ahead of them.
This is an important set, both historically and musically, and at this price is a good investment for any jazz collection. The quality is up to the usual high standards of ProperBox."
An Excellent Anthology--Without the Fluff!
Richard Narcisso | Belmont, CA USA | 09/21/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This four CD boxed set from Proper Records includes most of Shorty Rogers' improtant works related to the West Coast Sound. The previous review here on Amazon states Rogers defined the West Coast Jazz Sound. I think that's a big exageration. Even so, Shorty made a lot of great music and is often overlooked in his ranking as an important player who made an early impact on this sound. Unfortunately, like a number of other West Coasters, he was involved in many projects that were used in movie and TV soundtracks. So, he's often dismissed for selling-out to this fluffy and boring style. But it's what allowed him to make a living as a musician, and ultimately make some great Jazz albums that stand on their own. This ProperBox set comes with an excellent 40-page booklet that talks about his impact on the 1950s and 60s music scene. And they have picked an excellent array of Shorty's songs, many from sessions with his "Giants" -- a tight and talented band comprised of a number of regular players that included Jimmy Giuffre (cl, ts,bs); Bud Shank (fl, as); and Shelly Manne (drms). Other lineups on the four CDs include a varitable who's who in the Southern Californa jazz scene - names like Maynard Fergesun, The Candoli Brothers, Jimmy Knepper, Bob Cooper, Russ Freeman, Marty Paich, Andre Previn, Art Pepper, and others. Not included on the CDs is Shorty's lightweight, string-heavy material from albums such as the popular, but uninteresting, "Chances Are It Swings." If you want just one product that gives you all the best Shorty Rogers material, this set is the one to get."
Too good to pass up
James A. Vedda | Alexandria, VA USA | 06/05/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you've never sampled the work of Shorty Rogers - as every jazz lover should - then this is your big chance. Four discs with 76 tracks totaling about 4.5 hours of great music, all for around $20! Much of what's here has been released elsewhere, but is difficult to find or is outrageously priced. I'm not usually a fan of box sets, but this one does an exceptional job of compiling Shorty's 1950-54 efforts as composer, arranger, and trumpeter.
A variety of ensembles are featured, ranging from quintet to big band. The players constitute a Who's Who of early-50s west coast jazz artists. Most tracks are short (2.5 to 4 minutes), so long solos are rare, but the solos are superb regardless of length. Of course, a big part of the joy of listening to Shorty's work comes from his great ensemble writing. In both standards and original tunes, his interpretations offer lead lines and ensemble voicings that are engaging to the listener and provide ideal vehicles for his soloists. He also knows how to take advantage of the particular talents of his players, many of whom are alumni of the Stan Kenton and Woody Herman bands. For example, check out the woodwind doubling, and the wild parts he writes for Maynard Ferguson.
If you already have some Shorty Rogers in your collection, check the track list for duplication. This set contains entire albums such as "Modern Sounds," "Collaboration," "Shorty Rogers Courts the Count," and my favorite, "Cool & Crazy." Despite some duplication, I'm glad I got this set because in most cases the fidelity is better than on my older CD releases. Also, a very informative 40-page booklet is included. Don't hesitate to pick up this gem."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1