Jazz for aficionados

Shelly Manne was considered by many jazz aficionados to be one of the founding fathers of west coast jazz. Here are some quotes:
From wiki:
Manne is often associated with the once frequently criticized West Coast school of jazz.He has been considered "the quintessential" drummer in what was seen as a West Coast movement, though Manne himself did not care to be so pigeonholed. In the 1950s, much of what he did could be seen as in the West Coast style: performing in tightly arranged compositions in what was a cool style, as in his 1953 album named The West Coast Sound, for which he commissioned several original compositions. Some of West Coast jazz was experimental, avant-garde music several years before the more mainstream avant-garde playing of Cecil Taylor and Ornette Coleman (Manne also recorded with Coleman in 1959); a good deal of Manne's work with Jimmy Giuffre was of this kind. Critics would condemn much of this music as overly cerebral.


From Drummerworld:
Widely regarded as a most versatile and musical drummer, Shelly Manne (1920-1984) was a founding father of the West Coast jazz scene in the 1950s. Manne possessed a phenomenal technique, which he channeled into some of the most creative, lyrical drumming ever heard. His solos were unique, sometimes humorous, and above all else, musical.

Manne played in the Woody Herman and Stan Kenton big bands and countless smaller ensembles which included Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Johnny Hodges, Don Byas, and Dizzy Gillespie.


Another quote from wiki:
When the bebop movement began to change jazz in the 1940s, Manne loved it and adapted to the style rapidly, performing with Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. When Gillespie came to 52nd Street, Manne was an eager listener and sat in when he could. He was, notably, the drummer on the first recording of Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia" in 1945. In the words of Jack Brand, "Shelly...literally slid into the next era....His ears were always open, his mind ready to adjust...."

For the recorded live sessions at the Blackhawk he assembled a quintet with Richie Kamuca on Tenor Sax, Joe Gordon on trumpet, Victor Feldman on piano, Monty Budwig on Bass, Manne on the drum kit. All of these musicians show off their talents on the live recorded Blackhawk sessions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP--FIyBkmw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wza0PhuQOzE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7n0fEf2qRY

Thanks for the links frogman. As orpheus10 stated some "refreshing", and to me great sounding straight ahead jazz. I noticed Peter Bernstein plays guitar on the first 2 links. He is an awesome guitar player whom I have had the pleasure of seeing live on more then one occasion.

Without a doubt, Shelly Manne was THE preeminent drummer on the West Coast; however, I don't see any "founding father" of West Coast jazz, it seemed to spring from the mood of the West Coast, which was laid back and casual, as opposed to "hard bop"  East Coast, which reflected the New York lifestyle; fast!

Glad you all liked the clips.  I’m sure it did no go unnoticed that all those recordings were made by younger jazz players.  In my book all that music is “new jazz”.  Straight-ahead jazz to be sure, but definitely with a conceptual approach that is more modern or “newer” than what was heard in the fifties and sixties; including the ones that are not new compositions and are covers of standards. There is so much great new jazz out there by very talented young players that if anyone thinks otherwise they’re simply not looking or don’t want to see it for some reason.