Various - The Contemporary Records Story


Year of Release: 2004
Label: Contemporary Records
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 00:00:00

Lester Koenig?s independent (yes, there was indie music back in the 50s) Contemporary Records label was home to some of the brightest stars in jazz from 1952-1977. The roster was immense and very impressive. Luminaries such as Shelly Manne, Hampton Hawes, Victor Feldman, Art Pepper, and Ray Brown called the label home for many productive and wonderful years. To be sure, this label helped to shape jazz into what it is today.

The Contemporary Records Story is a handsomely bound book and placeholder for four amazing and eclectic CDs, including pictures of the album covers from where the tracks originally came from. What I enjoyed the most about this comprehensive set, was the mixture of different styles and ranges each featured artist had at their disposal. Koenig was able to bring out the best in this adventurous group of individuals.

Any jazz lover would treasure this collection as I do. Nearly every style of jazz you can imagine gets coverage within the 57 tracks found on this set. I listened several times with great joy to this music. Some box sets can become predictable and mundane by the time you spin the third disc, this is not the case here at all. There is something new and interesting to discover on every CD. This boxed set would be a great starter for those that want to learn more about jazz and the different styles within the genus, and not a bad stocking stuffer either for you late Christmas shoppers.


Tracklisting:
Disc One: 'Big Girl' - Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars / 'Viva Zapata!' [Live] - Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars / 'You And The Night And The Music' - Shelly Manne / 'Lullaby Of Birdland' - Barney Kessel / 'Bags' Groove' - Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars / 'Day By Day' - Lennie Niehaus / 'Flip' - Shelly Manne / 'Billie's Bounce' - Shelly Manne / 'Champ' - Hampton Hawes Trio / 'Blues The Most' - Hampton Hawes Trio / 'Blue Moon' - Lyle Murphy / 'Easy Terms' - Duane Tatro / 'Collard Greens And Black-Eyed Peas' - Shelly Manne / 'Ruby' - Buddy Collette / 'I Could Have Danced All Night' - Shelly Manne / 'Fifth For Frank' - Curtis Counce

Disc Two: 'Serenade In Blue'- Gerald Wiggins / 'All the Things You Are' - Art Pepper / 'Star Eyes' - Art Pepper / 'Paying the Dues Blues' - Red Norvo / 'I'm An Old Cowhand' - Sonny Rollins / 'Jordu' - The Poll Winners / 'Scrapple From the Apple' - Red Mitchell / 'Old Fashioned Love' - Benny Carter / 'On The Sunny Side Of The Street' - Leroy Vinnegar / 'Whisper Not' - Benny Golson / 'I Could Write A Book' - Andr? Previn & His Pals / 'Grooveyard' - Harold Land / 'Serpent's Tooth' - Victor Feldman / 'Invisible' - Ornette Coleman

Disc Three: 'Hip' - Hampton Hawes / 'Stablemates' - Art Farmer / 'African Violets' - Cecil Taylor Quartet / 'Autumn In New York' - Andr? Previn / 'I've Told Ev'ry Little Star' - Sonny Rollins / 'Someone To Watch Over Me' - Benny Carter / 'Bill Bailey' - Helen Humes / 'Peter Gunn' - Shelly Manne / 'Barfly' - Elmo Hope / 'Greensleeves' - Bill Smith / 'Airegin' - Art Pepper / 'Down Among The Sheltering Palms' - Barney Kessel / 'Blue Daniel' - Shelly Manne / 'Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise' - Art Pepper / 'Sermon' - Teddy Edwards Quartet

Disc Four: 'Stardust' - Ben Webster / 'Misty' - Teddy Edwards / 'Summertime' - Howard McGhee / 'Oleo' - Phineas Newborn / 'Exodus' - Shelly Manne / 'Deed For Dolphy' - Woody Shaw / 'My Funny Valentine' - Art Farmer / 'Morning' - Hampton Hawes / 'Will You Still Be Mine?' - Art Farmer / 'Beyond The Rain' - Chico Free / 'Over the Rainbow' - Art Pepper

Musicians:


Discography:


Genre: Jazz-Trad. Jazz

Origin VA

Added: January 1st 2005
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Hits: 2322
Language: english

  

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