Favorite West Coast Classics

[connoisseur series500]

I've only got a couple from this series:

Curtis Amy/Bolton Dupree, KATANGA

Teddy Edwards, SUNSET EYES

Like them both very much. Let's hear your favorites. Someone posted the complete list in another thread. Also: do you feel this is a great series? They obviously weren't great sellers though they seem to have disappeared.

Edited January 25, 2004 by connoisseur series500

[Big Wheel]

I've got 5: Baker, Brookmeyer, Shank/Perkins, Amy, and Touff. The Baker is easily an essential. I would say the Brookmeyer is too but you may wish to hold off and go for the Mosaic instead. Really, you can't go wrong with these--the only quibble I remember hearing is that some people aren't crazy about the harpsichord tracks on the Earl Anderza (which is almost impossible to find, BTW).

[neveronfriday]

Someone posted the complete list in another thread.

Hm, I can't find that list. Can you provide a link?

[BFrank]

I only have "Sunset Eyes", but it's a good one.

[Big Wheel]

Complete list: here

[vibes]

Can anyone verify that that list is correct? I have "Jazz Guitar" and "New Bottle, Old Wine," but they don't look like the few WCC releases I have, such as "Bud Shank and Bill Perkins" or the Brookmeyer.

The Shank/Perkins is probably my favorite of the few I have. I have the Curtis Amy Select and was listening to "Katanga" for the first time yesterday, and that's a good album too. I never was a huge fan of the instrument, but Amy's soprano is some of the most bearable I've ever heard.

[Ed S]

The list posted by Big Wheel on the linked thread is the official list of WCCs. Jazz Guitar, New Wine, A Gasser and a few others in the other list in htat thread were not part of the WCC series.

Here's the Quote

A few too many on that list, which includes some PJ titles not released as "West Coast Classics."

Curtis Amy/Dupree Bolton - Katanga

Earl Anderza - Outa Sight

Chet Baker - Quartet with Russ Freeman

Bob Brookmeyer - Traditionalism Revisited

Teddy Edwards - Sunset Eyes

Jack Montrose - Sextet

Bill Perkins - On Stage

Bud Shank/Bill Perkins

Bud Shank/Bob Cooper - Blowin' Country

Jack Sheldon - Quartet/Quintet

Cy Touff - Octet and Quintet

plus the 2 disc Gerry Mulligan "Original Quintet with Chet Baker" should cover them all.

So far I have the Amy, Baker/Freeman, Brookmeyer, Shank/Perkins, and Touff and am looking for the Edwards. Not a bad one in the bunch and it's hard to pick a favorite.

[vibes]

It pays to scroll down...

[Hank]

--the only quibble I remember hearing is that some people aren't crazy about the harpsichord tracks on the Earl Anderza (which is almost impossible to find, BTW).

I was gonna jump in with an Anderza endorsement when I saw this thread. A really good recording. I even like the little bit of harpsichord that turns up in it, as odd as it is ("Blues Baroque" sounds pretty cool!). Anderza has got a kind of pinched bluesy sound, derived I guess from Charlie Parker but by way of Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy. If you see the Anderza anywhere pick it up though it may be hard to find. It's one of a kind in its own way.

[couw]

... the Earl Anderza (which is almost impossible to find, BTW).

6 copies are listed on amazon's marketplace

[Alec]

I love them all, but my favorite would have to be Jack Sheldon - Quartet/Quintet

followed closely by Cy Touff - Octet and Quintet.

Bring back the WCC!!

[kulu se mama]

vibes,

the jim hall and gil evans cd's that you mention were part of the earlier collector's choice series.

these were limited in number reissues of previously deleted cd titles.

if i remember correctly there were 3 series of collectors choice titles.

they are not identifiedon the cases in any way, but they did have white cd trays and a sticker on the cellophane stating "limited edition."

[marcoliv]

Bring back the WCC!!

magical words for me

[king ubu]

Bring back the WCC!!

magical words for me

Yes indeed!

but it seems they sold so bad that they did not release a third planned batch.

I got the Andreza thanks to a very kind member of this board, and thoroughly enjoy it, including harpsichord

The Touff was the biggest surprise for me. I picked it up more for completeness' sake and Bill Perkins than for knowing Touff himself - and I really like that disc!

ubu

[BruceH]

My favorites are Katanga, Sunset Eyes, and the 2-disc Mulligan/Baker, but as people have already said, it's hard to find a bad one. Reactivating the series would be a dream come true for me, but doesn't seem too likely.

[JohnS]

Tough choice as they are all worthwhile and valuable. Difficult to choose a favourite in the circumstances but I guess "Katanga" gets the most plays.

[Deep Groove]

Since no one else has endorsed it, I'll single out Bill Perkins' "On Stage." I'm no expert, but to my ears Perkins was playing his ass off when he recorded this one, and I love the characteristic "West Coast" arrangements.

Plus he looks like he's out of a James Dean movie on the cover. I'm sure that didn't hurt with the chicks...

[montg]

I've only recently begun to seriously explore west coast jazz (term loosely defined) and so I'm playing 'catch up' in tracking down CDs from this series. What I've been able to find recently (Mulligan/Baker; Shank/Cooper; Montrose) has been really enjoyable. Too bad it was discontinued (though some of the series has turned up in the Mosaic Select boxes). I'm spinning the Montrose session right now and really digging Bob Gordon... and I felt like giving a 'shout out' to the WCC. (nice sound, incidentally, from the Mcmaster remastering, imo).

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

whos on the Larence Marabale one, called tenorman? tunes too?

[sidewinder]

whos on the Larence Marabale one, called tenorman? tunes too?

Not a 'West Coast Classic'.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

well tell me about it anyway

[John L]

well tell me about it anyway

It is a fine disc, very much worth getting. The "tenorman" in question is James Clay. It is James Clay's first recording. He plays his ass off on it too.

On the subject of Earl Anderza, Horace Tapscott makes an interesting claim in his autobiography that Anderza was playing at least as far "out" in the mid-1950s as Ornette.

Edited May 18, 2007 by John L

[AndrewHill]

I have barely half of them (There were 12, right? They came and went before I could even say 'West Coast Classics'). I have:

Mulligan/Baker

Sheldon

Cooper/Shank

Touff

Baker/Freeman

I think this series is neat, if it didn't do anything else but expose me to a lot of artists that I never got to hear before, besides the obvious. Out of these, the Mulligan/Baker and the Cy Touff are among the ones I listen to the most. But this perspective is somewhat limited because I haven't heard a vast majority of them. What a shame that they're all OPP except for two. So I just keep my eyes peeled hoping to find them used (found the Touff for $5 at Half Price a couple of years ago and I think I yelled out 'NO WAY!' in the store. One of the coolest finds and at a great price.)

[sheldonm]

... the Earl Anderza (which is almost impossible to find, BTW).

6 copies are listed on amazon's marketplace

I may have an extra one as well.

m

[sjarrell]

well tell me about it anyway

It is a fine disc, very much worth getting. The "tenorman" in question is James Clay. It is James Clay's first recording. He plays his ass off on it too.

Sonny Clark's the pianist...