CD-Charts Position 71
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Helen Merrill With Clifford Brown & Gil Evans

CD-Charts > Music > Cool and West Coast
by: Helen Merrill Clifford Brown Gil Evans

Release Date May 10, 1993
Originally recorded in December, 1954, when Helen Merrill was only twenty-five, this recording, now digitally remastered and re-released, was her professional breakthrough. With Clifford Brown on trumpet, arrangements by Quincy Jones, who was himself only twenty-one, and fantastic back-up (Jimmy Jones on piano is especially notable), Helen Merrill was free to unloose her jazz interpretations and her explore her dramatic talent with lyrics. With a lush voice which still retains the sweetness of youth, she offers new variations on familiar melodic lines, provides sensitive interpretations of sad songs, and happily jives to the upbeat.

Billy Holiday's "Don't Explain," one of the saddest songs ever written, is brilliantly interpreted ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 72
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Time Out

CD-Charts > Music > Cool and West Coast
by: The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Release Date
Below is the review I recently posted on Amazon.com for the Dave Brubeck Take Five SACD. I really felt I should post the reveiw on Amazon.co.uk also, as there appear to be reviews which relate only to the CD release - same story with US Amazon. Surely there must be others out there that could stand up for this superb SACD album??!!

Although I'm not what I consider to be a great fan of jazz, I have enjoyed Dave Brubeck's music for quite some time. For the last two and a half years or so, I have bought almost only high resolution music (DVD-A or SACD), and was determined to buy this disc soon. For a short while, several years ago, I owned the standard CD version of this album - until I donated it to my father-in-law. For anyone reading ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 73
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Getz Plays Jobim: The Girl From Ipanema

CD-Charts > Music > Cool and West Coast
by: Stan Getz

Release Date March 25, 2002
I have always been a bossa lover, and have searched for the ultimate "relax" album, not to heavy, not to fast, not too much vocal etc. Well this is it, the combination of Jobim, Gilberto and Getz is just wonderful....No fantastic, if you only buy one bossa album this is it. Lovely sound reproduction given the age of the tracks, clear and fresh. Getz' sax is just liquid smooth cool jazz. You have to buy it.

CD-Charts Position 74
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Jazz at Oberlin

CD-Charts > Music > Cool and West Coast

Release Date
I first heard this album in Nov 1960 in my first week at RAF Akrotiri Cyprus. I was straight out of training and posted overseas, knowing no one and feeling at a loss. One old hand was playing the album and I could hear the music and as the music continued I could relate to the different tracts and their feeling. To me they expressed the way I felt at that time-excitement at being overseas for the first time, loneliness knowing no one and a sence of adventure looking forward to the begining of a new phase of my life. Since then I have tried to find a copy of Oberlin without success, until now. To me, 'Jazz at Oberlin' was the beginning of a new experience in music which reflected the beginnings of my life's new experience.

CD-Charts Position 75
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Alone Together

CD-Charts > Music > Cool and West Coast
by: Jim Hall/Ron Carter

Release Date November 15, 2006
This recording seems to reveal something new to me everytime I listen to it. Halls seemingly effortless flow of beautiful melodic and rhytmic statements are held aloft by Carters impecable time as ideas are tossed playfully from four strings to six and then into the ether, where they hang like organic sculptures to be viewed by whomever has the patience to look a little deeper than surface level. Hall and Carter have opened a portal with this recording, that allows us to view beauty and simplicity previously unavailable in this dimension.

CD-Charts Position 76
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West Coast Jazz

CD-Charts > Music > Cool and West Coast
by: Stan Getz

Release Date May 25, 1999
This recording seems to reveal something new to me everytime I listen to it. Halls seemingly effortless flow of beautiful melodic and rhytmic statements are held aloft by Carters impecable time as ideas are tossed playfully from four strings to six and then into the ether, where they hang like organic sculptures to be viewed by whomever has the patience to look a little deeper than surface level. Hall and Carter have opened a portal with this recording, that allows us to view beauty and simplicity previously unavailable in this dimension.

CD-Charts Position 77
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Another Shade of Blue

CD-Charts > Music > Cool and West Coast
by: Lee Konitz

Release Date November 29, 1999
This recording seems to reveal something new to me everytime I listen to it. Halls seemingly effortless flow of beautiful melodic and rhytmic statements are held aloft by Carters impecable time as ideas are tossed playfully from four strings to six and then into the ether, where they hang like organic sculptures to be viewed by whomever has the patience to look a little deeper than surface level. Hall and Carter have opened a portal with this recording, that allows us to view beauty and simplicity previously unavailable in this dimension.

CD-Charts Position 78
Average Rating:

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The Cole Porter Songbook - Night And Day

CD-Charts > Music > Cool and West Coast
by: Various Artists

Release Date March 05, 1991
This recording seems to reveal something new to me everytime I listen to it. Halls seemingly effortless flow of beautiful melodic and rhytmic statements are held aloft by Carters impecable time as ideas are tossed playfully from four strings to six and then into the ether, where they hang like organic sculptures to be viewed by whomever has the patience to look a little deeper than surface level. Hall and Carter have opened a portal with this recording, that allows us to view beauty and simplicity previously unavailable in this dimension.

CD-Charts Position 79
Average Rating:

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The Sound of the Johnny Smith Guitar

CD-Charts > Music > Cool and West Coast
by: Johnny Smith

Release Date October 08, 2001
Yes I know that is a sweeping statement when you think of all the greats of jazz guitar, Reinhardt, Christian, Montgomery, Mclaughlin and Metheny etc etc. BUT this guy is seriously, seriously phenomenal not just in his impeccable technique but also in his melodic precision and harmonic awareness; he's an absolute monster player.The guy just has it all, no wrong notes in there under the guise of "outside" playing; every one of Smith's notes counts, no fillers His chord melody is gorgeous as well!

I am a jazz guitarist and know how hard it is presently even with all the influences we have to listen to, but back in the fifties and with his ability to play perfectly over the changes....Phew! How did he learn the changes so well???

This ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 80
Average Rating:

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Combinations: Songs from 1954-1956

CD-Charts > Music > Cool and West Coast
by: Shelly Manne

Release Date July 02, 2007
Totally agree with Barry McCanna. Yet another superb issue from Avid.
To confirm and supplement Barry's comments CD 1 kicks off with the complete "My Fair Lady" session. I had forgotton just how good this was and why it proved so popular (ignore the snotty critics). Tracks 9 to 15 represent 7 of the 12 tracks from "The Three" and "The Two" album. These were new to me and something of a revelation is so far as they were a bit advanced for the time. Tracks 16 to 18 come from the album "Shelly Manne & His Men Vol 2". Once again new to me but wonderful and prompting me to search out the complete album. Without being flash I can say that played to me as a blindfold test I would have recognised Messrs. Rogers, Freeman and Manne.
CD 2 kicks ... Read More: