West Coast Live

構成数 : 2枚
合計収録時間 : 00:57:35
Personnel: Chet Baker (vocals, trumpet); Stan Getz (tenor saxophone); Russ Freeman (piano); Carson Smith (bass); Larry Bunker, Shelly Manne (drums). Producer: Richard Bock. Reissue producer: Michael Cuscuna. Recorded live at the Haig and The Tiffany Club, Los Angeles, California on June 12, 1953 & August 17, 1954. Includes liner notes by James Gavin. Digitally remastered by Malcolm Addey. One of the most infamously acrimonious musical unions transpired between two of the leading purveyors of West Coast cool jazz: Chet Baker (trumpet) and Stan Getz (tenor sax). Their paths crossed only a handful of times and West Coast Live captures two of their earliest encounters in Los Angeles at the Haig on June 12, 1953, and the Tiffany Club on August 17, 1953. These recordings have been issued in Europe and Japan ad infinitum in varying degrees of quality, completeness, and often sporting erroneous data. However, enthusiasts should note that West Coast Live is the only release derived from producer/engineer Dick Bock's own master reels. For two men who purportedly would rather not be in the same room at the same time, Baker and Getz are able to create some legitimately brilliant improvisation. For the Haig set, Getz had been brought in to co-lead a quartet with Baker for an incarcerated Gerry Mulligan. Musically the results vacillate. There are moments of sheer inspiration, such as the musical cat and mouse demonstrated on "Strike up the Band" or the straight-ahead driving-bop lines the two bandy on "Yardbird Suite," which includes tasty solos from Carson Smith (bass) and Larry Bunker (drums). There are likewise the brass entanglements that plague "The Way You Look Tonight" as well as the opening of "Winter Wonderland," which suffers from the "too many cooks" syndrome. The second and shorter set is taken from a recording session held during the afternoon -- hence the lack of an audience response after each number -- at the Tiffany Club. Baker's quartet at the time featured Russ Freeman (piano) and Shelly Manne (drums), as well as Carson Smith (bass), who reprised his role at the heart of this quintet. All three tracks contain very little in the way of interaction between Baker and Getz, featuring more of the support trio than the two co-leads. ~ Lindsay Planer
録音 : モノラル／ステレオ (Live)