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West Coast Jazz
West Coast Getz.jpeg
Studio album by Stan Getz
Released1955
RecordedAugust 10–19, 1955
StudioRadio Recorders, Hollywood, California
GenreJazz
LabelNorgran - MG N-1032[1]
ProducerNorman Granz
Stan Getz chronology
Hamp and Getz
(1955)		West Coast Jazz
(1955)		Stan Getz and the Cool Sounds
(1953-55)

West Coast Jazz is a 1955 album by Stan Getz accompanied by a quartet including trumpeter Conte Candoli.[2] Getz recorded the album in California, where he was filming parts for The Benny Goodman Story, and appearing for a week at the nightclub Zardi's Jazzland. The musicians that accompanied him at Zardi's were chosen by Getz to make this album with him.[2]

The title of the album is an in-joke as Getz was not associated with the West Coast jazz style. The artwork for the album was created by David Stone Martin.[1] The album was reissued in 1996 by Verve Records with bonus tracks.[2]

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic4/5 stars[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings4/4 stars[3]
Tom HullA[4]

Al Campbell reviewed the album for Allmusic and wrote of the musicians that they "... connected with Getz immediately, having crossed paths previously. ... Generally unlike West Coast jazz of the time, the rapid group interplay with energized bop solos, still stand out particularly on "S-H-I-N-E" and Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia"".[2] Ted Gioia, in his book West Coast Jazz, writes of the album that, "In terms of playing style, Getz meshed well with Manne and the other musicians on the date ... and his playing throughout the album exemplifies the tasteful, inventive creativity that has long been a hallmark of Getz's recordings".[5]

The initial Billboard magazine review from October 15, 1955, wrote that the album had "Name power, talent, and a display worthy cover tag this as a leader. The stuff is modern, interesting, and it swings powerfully when its supposed to. For musicians and for fans, this one is tops".[6]

Track listing[edit]

  1. "East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)" (Brooks Bowman) - 6:17
  2. "Four" (Miles Davis) - 7:32
  3. "Suddenly It's Spring" (Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) - 6:56
  4. "A Night in Tunisia" (Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli) - 6:09
  5. "Summertime" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward) - 6:04
  6. "S-H-I-N-E" (Lew Brown, Ford Dabney, Cecil Mack) - 8:53
Bonus tracks; Issued on the 1999 Verve CD Reissue, Verve 557 549-2
  2. "Split Kick" (Horace Silver) - 7:53
  3. "Of Thee I Sing" (G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin) - 4:09
  4. "A Handful of Stars" (Jack Lawrence, Ted Shapiro) - 3:20
  5. "Love Is Here to Stay" (G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin) - 3:25
  6. "Serenade In Blue" (Mack Gordon, Harry Warren) - 3:52
  7. "Of Thee I Sing" - 4:44
  8. "Love Is Here to Stay" - 3:30

Personnel[edit]

  • Stan Getz - tenor saxophone
  • Conte Candoli - trumpet tracks 1-7
  • Lou Levy - piano
  • Leroy Vinnegar - double bass
  • Shelly Manne - drums

Production

  • David Stone Martin - cover illustration
  • Norman Granz - producer

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Stan Getz - West Coast Jazz". discogs.com. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e West Coast Jazz at AllMusic
  3. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 544. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0. CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  4. ^ Hull, Tom (n.d.). "Essential Jazz Albums of the 1950s". tomhull.com. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  5. ^ Ted Gioia (1998). West Coast Jazz: Modern Jazz in California, 1945-1960. University of California Press. p. 272. ISBN 978-0-520-21729-4.
  6. ^ Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (15 October 1955). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510.