Cool Jazz Essential Collection

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 11, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Avid Records UK
• ASIN: B002BSY42O
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #481,678 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best West, September 30, 2009

By 

Robin Benson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cool Jazz Essential Collection (Audio CD)

A reasonably priced compilation double CD, originally released in the UK, with 157 minutes of cool West Coast jazz. There are no dates anywhere but I'm assuming these tracks were recorded in the fifties to the mid-sixties and released on Contemporary and Pacific Jazz in LA or Fantasy in San Francisco.

The thirty-seven tracks are by well-known names playing, in some instances, what might be considered their themes: Miles Davis and Move; Gerry Mulligan with Walking shoes and Bernie's Tune; Shelly Manne plus Friends and Get me to the church on time. Only three tracks play over five minutes so this is mostly LP release material.

I didn't think there were any really strong standout tracks but no duds either. An overall enjoyable sampling of what came out of the West Coast jazz scene some decades ago and good value for money.

You might find these compilations of interest: The Contemporary Records Story four CDs and fifty-seven tracks at four hours and fifty minutes. Sort of sums up the Contemporary sound inspired by boss Lester Koenig. A nicely produced upright package with thirty-six page bound-in booklet; The West Coast Jazz Box, an Anthology of California Jazz four CDs, sixty-one tracks at five hours and a handy seventy-two page book with a ton of background material; West Coast Jazz sub-titled Hermosa Beach 1951-1954 with twenty-one tracks at seventy minutes; Jazz West Coast double CD with forty tracks at 128 minutes. The prices for these sets seem to vary quite a bit so it's worth searching the net for the best deal.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars COOL JAZZ ON A SUMMER'S DAY, November 8, 2010

By 

Barry McCanna (Normandy, France) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cool Jazz Essential Collection (Audio CD)

Cool jazz originated in the early fifties, and derived its name from the more laidback approach adopted by its proponents. The liner credits Lester Young's laconic tenor-sax phrasing for setting the template, and Miles Davis with codifying the cool approach. But that's only half the story, because Lester was influenced by Frankie Trumbauer's playing, and the inspiration for Miles' 1949 nonet recordings (two of which are included here) came from Claude Thornhill and Gil Evans.

My preference is for the standards, particularly "Star Dust" by the Mulligan/Baker Quartet and "Skylark" by the Bob Brookmeyer Quintet. Jimmy Giuffre's "The Train And The River" provided the leitmotiv for the film "Jazz On A Summer's Day", and was my introduction to the genre. One or two of the numbers seem to me to fall somewhat outside the definition of cool jazz, by virtue of either stratospheric trumpeting or frenzied drumming, but provided you're not a purist you should find much to enjoy here. Sadly though you won't find anything in the way of recording dates or personnel. Three stars would not be enough, and although four is slightly tipping the scale, it reflects the fact that this set is good value for money.