When you get up in the morning, you must have a song - Ray Charles

Friday, January 15, 2010

Jazztone - West Coast Jazz Anthology Vol. III

Jazztone was a small mail order club label. Much like Book of the Month or ARS, subscribers would be sent a cool jazz lp once a month or so, often with original sessions made for the label. It was only around for 3 years but they still managed to swing some mighty fine sessions.

I started with Vol. III in this series for a couple of reasons. Vol I has some previously released stuff and...well I don't happen to own a copy of Vol. II.

This volume contains some very nice live sessions and a handful of studio dates that I don't think you will see around much. I have no doubt some of these recordings have appeared elsewhere at some point, but this should be their first appearance.

As usual, ripped late at night from a questionable condition lp - this is music for music lovers and not connoisseurs of high art.

Jazz West Coast, Vol III
1. There Will Never Be Another You - Gerry Mulligan
2. Mr. Smith Goes To Town - Chico Hamilton
3. Polka Dots and Moonbeams - Bud Shank
4. Old Croix - Art Pepper
5. Little Girl - Chet Baker
6. Love Nest - Russ Freeman/Chet Baker
7. Sweet Georgia Brown - Bud Shank/Bob Cooper
8. Things Ain't What They Used To Be - Jim Hall
9. Too Marvelous For Words - Phil Urso/Bob Burgess
10. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime - Russ Freeman/Bill Perkins


Gerry Mulligan Sextet
Mulligan - piano
Zoot Sims - tenor sax
Bob Brookmeyer - valve trombone
Jon Eardley - trumpet
Red Mitchell - bass
Larry Bunker - drums
Hoover High School Auditorium - LA - 12/54

Chico Hamilton Quintet
Hamilton - drums
Fred Katz - cello
Paul Horn - clarinet
John Pisano - guitar
Carson Smith - bass
Forum Theater - LA - 10/56

Bud Shank Quartet
Shank - flute
Claude Williamson - piano
Don Prell - bass
Chuck Flores - drums
Forum Theater - 2/56

Art Pepper Quartet
Pepper - alto sax
Pete Jolly - piano
Leroy Vinnegar - bass
Stan Levey - drums
Forum Theater - 10/56

Chet Baker Sextet
Baker - trumpet
Art Pepper - alto
Richie Kamuca - tenor
Pete Jolly - piano
Leroy Vinnegar - drums
Stan Levey - drums
Forum Theater - 10/56 (and recorded at the same session as the one above)

Russ Freeman - Chet Baker Quartet
Freeman - piano
Baker - trumpet
Leroy Vinnegar - bass
Shelley Manne - drums
Radio Recorders - 11/56

Bud Shank - Bob Cooper Quintet
Shank - flute
Cooper - oboe
Howard Roberts - guitar
Don Prell - bass
Chuck Flores - drums
Capitol Studios - 12/56

Jim Hall Trio
Hall - guitar
Carl Perkins - piano
Red Mitchell - bass
Radio Recorders - 1/57

Phil Urso - Bob Burgess Quintet
Urso - tenor sax
Burgess - trombone
Bobby Timmons - piano
Jimmy Bond - bass
Peter Littman - drums
Radio Recorders - 10/56

Russ Freeman - Bill Perkins Quintet
Freeman - piano
Perkins - tenor sax
Bud Shank - alto sax
Carson Smith - bass
Shelley Manne - drums
Music Box Theater - LA - 2/56

Jazztone Society J1274









4 comments:

Orbyt said...

Impressive, thank you. Can't wait to hear Volume 1.

Neroon001 said...

this has enough personnel for several classics on it,but the one that really intrests me is the Shank & Cooper Quintet with the oboe as a lead instrument not something you get to hear everyday.I thank you for giving me the chance to hear this.

Matt said...

Holy cow, I know this record backwards and forwards, as it was in my dad's collection, and I've been totally unable to find it--didn't know it wasn't really issued by Pacific.

People never believe me when I talk about that oboe/flute duet, and this is the version of "There Will Never be Another You" that still leaps into my head whenever someone mentions the tune.

Thanks so much!!

OldHippieRick said...

HI Hookfinger
here some more info on Jazztone
In early advertisements Concert Hall Society promised that "This recording was issued in a LIMITED EDITION of only 3,000 copies, of which this is number ...." No more than 3000 copies will be pressed of a specific record. They obviously mean that for every new batch of 3000 records a new plate will be used. The statement suggests that other manufacturers press more than 3000 records using the same plate. There are of course companies that did so. Remington Records is an example. But the technicians and production managers of companies that produce quality records of classical music and jazz know that in principle no more than 1500 or 2000 records at the most should be pressed using the same plate. Quality control is the only way to determine if a plate can be used for another few hundred records. The rule is if more records are pressed, the matrix will get dull and the records will sound adequately. It is possible to compensate for the loss of high frequencies and detail by applying equalization, by boosting the high frequency content and cut a disc with restricted dynamics resulting in a lean bass. In that way more music can be engraved per side and the high frequencies will be more prominent. Choosing a vinyl compound with a specific hardness can also give the suggestion of high fidelity when played on simple gramophones. The measures taken are audible in the final product. Most certainly in the records of Musical Masterpiece Society with its 450.000 members worldwide. oldhippierick and Thanks for all you do (ړײ)