One of the greatest jazz soundtracks of all time! Elmer Bernstein wrote the score to Otto Preminger's chilling film version of Nelson Algren's book The Man With The Golden Arm – a sad tale of jazz, gambling, and heroin addiction on the streets of Chicago (not far from Dusty Groove, in fact!) – and in doing so, he came up with one of the first jazz soundtracks to really work strongly with a dramatic narrative. The film's striking theme is played in a number of variations, either with orchestral backing, or in small combo format by Shorty Rogers & His Giants, a crack west coast group that features work by Bud Shank, Shelly Manne, Bob Cooper, and Pete Candoli. The tracks work perfectly together as a suite of tracks, even without the images of the film – telling a tale of temptation, sadness, tragedy, and rebirth. Titles include "Clark Street", "Breakup", "The Fix", "Zosh", "Frankie Machine", and "Audition". Worth the price for the Saul Bass cover alone! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Shorty's best albums for RCA, and an album of hard-driving jazz by The Giants that's comparable to some of the great work they did in the soundtrack to Man With The Golden Arm. The group includes Shorty, Bil Holman, Richie Kamuca, Paul Horn, Bud Shank, and the Candoli Brothers – and titles (all written by Robert Allen) includes "Lilac Chiffon", "Who Needs You", "No Such Luck", "Chances Are", "Very Special Love", and "Teacher, Teacher". Very swinging, as the title says! LP, Vinyl record album

A 31 track collection pulled from sessions in 1953 and 1954, featuring Shorty Rogers with His Giants and His Orchestra, with personnel that includes Art Pepper, Jimmy Giuffre, Hanpton Hawes, Shelly Manne, Pete Candoli, Bob Cooper, Marty Paich, Curtis Counce, Bud Shank, Herb Geller, Zoot Sims, and many more! LP, Vinyl record album

A massive overview of the early years of the career of trumpeter Shorty Rogers – a 2CD set that brings together performances by Shorty in other groups (Woody Herman, Red Norvo, Stan Kenton, Lighthouse All Stars), plus some of Rogers' seminal early 50s sides as a leader! The package is a great way to look at Shorty in these "bubbling under" years – the time when he was making bold strides as a soloist in other artists' groups, then first forging the Giants sound that became one of the most popular in 50s jazz. Titles include "Bop" by Red Norvo, "Igor" and "Lemon Drop" with Woody Herman, "Short Wave" with Maynard Ferguson, "Jolly Rogers" and "Viva Prado" with Stan Kenton, "Punkin" with Louis Bellson, "What's New" with Lighthouse All Stars, and "Chino", "Coop De Graas", "Morpo", "Diablo's Dance", "Pesky Serpent", "Indian Club", "Powder Puff", "Didi", and "Four Mothers" all issued under Shorty's name. CD

Very unusual work from trumpeter Shorty Rogers – recorded in 1962 for the Navy Swings radio show, and done in a way that captures a different side than usual of Rogers' playing! As the title implies, a number of tunes feature vocalist Jeri Southern joining in the group – singing in a style that's nicely more jazzy than some of her other work, really surprising us with her ability to deliver a heartfelt ballad. But even more than the vocals on the CD, we love the instrumental numbers – as Rogers is playing here with 2 different groups that feature an assortment of unusually-matched LA players – including Harold Land on tenor, Gary Peacock on bass, Larry Bunker on drums, and either Mike Wofford or Amos Trice on piano. Rogers himself plays both trumpet and flugelhorn – and although the tracks are relatively short, there's some well-crafted interplay between the members of the group. The set features 13 tracks, 3 of which are vocal – "Down With Love", "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year", and "I Hadn't Anyone Till You". Instrumental numbers include "Time Was", "Popo", "Morning Fun", "Martians Go Home", "Casa De Luz", and "Paul's Pal". CD

Kenny Rogers gets bigger billing on the cover, but the real treat is the instrumentals by Shorty Rogers – including "Cajun Source", "Take A Walk", "Up Yours", "Someone Who Cares", and "Anais & Mathew". LP, Vinyl record album

The title and cover are an homage to the Pacific Jazz label live dates from LA in the 50s – and the music here does a good job of following suit as well! Altoist Bud Shank and trumpeter Shorty Rogers are reunited beautifully in an open-ended live setting – the kind of date that really recalls some of the music Bud, Shorty, and some of their contemporaries recorded many years back – although with perhaps a rhythmic undercurrent here that shows new depths in jazz explored during subsequent decades. Remaining group members include George Cables on piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Sherman Ferguson on drums – and titles include "Kansas City Tango", "Makin Whoopee", "It's Sand Man", "Aurex", and "Mia". LP, Vinyl record album

Shorty Rogers on trumpet with Art Pepper on alto sax, Jimmy Giuffre on tenor sax, Hampton Hawes and Pete Jolly on piano, Joe Mondragon and Curtis Counce on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums. CD

One of the most obscure 50s releases from Blue Note Records – part of a pair of 10" albums recorded on the west coast – which was quite a change from the label's usual east coast home! The album's originally came with no full artist information, and were released as a "blindfold test" under the supervision of Leonard Feather – in which the listener was supposed to guess the players! The musicians on the original record were not named – probably because of contractual reasons – but artists include the cream of the LA scene of the time – Conte Candoli on trumpet, Jimmy Giuffre and Charlie Mariano on reeds, Howard Roberts on guitar, and Marty Paich on piano – all coming together with a fresh, clean sound that's more like the classic 50s sessions on the Mode or Bethlehem labels instead of Blue Note. Titles on volume 2 includes "Here's Pete", "Blindfold Test No 3", "Arcadia", and "Burbank Bounce". LP, Vinyl record album

A standout set from Shorty – tightly arranged numbers performed by a quartet that includes Jimmy Giuffre, Pete Jolly, Curtis Counce, and Shelly Manne – all working with Shorty in perfect west coast form! Despite the length of the tunes, the overall feel is similar to Rogers' excellent Wherever The Five Winds Blow album for RCA – and makes the record a great set, done without any gimmicks or tricks – and enough of the modern touch still left from Rogers' first few years on record. Titles include "Martians Go Home", "Trickleydidlier", "Not Really The Blues", and "Michele's Meditation". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare mid 50s collaboration between pianist Andre Previn and trumpeter Shorty Rogers – an instrumental collaboration between the pair – one that's mostly set up in the mode of Rogers style of the time with his Giants group – but which also really sparkles tremendously with the addition of Previn's brightly-colored piano lines! We'd honestly never thought that highly of Andre's work until hearing this set – and his presence here really adds a new dimension to the Shorty Rogers groove of the 50s – a set of tones that spring out wonderfully, and really illuminate the set! Other players include Bud Shank, Milt Bernhart, Jimmy Giuffre, and Bob Cooper – on 13 titles that include "It's Delovely", "Heat Wave", "40 Below", "Claudia", "General Cluster", "Everything I've Got", "Call For Cole", and "Lullaby Of Birdland". LP, Vinyl record album

With Shorty Rogers on flugelhorn and trumpet, Bud Shank on flute and alto, George Cables on piano, Bob Magnusson on bass, and Roy McCurdy on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of west coast jazz work from the mid 50s – one that features a number of unusual sessions! First off, the set includes 4 tracks that were initially recorded under the leadership of Shorty Rogers, most likely for RCA – and featuring players that include Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Jimmy Giuffre, and Pete Jolly – on titles that include the Giuffre originals "Safari", "Ballade", and "Scarf Dance". Next up are 15 tracks from the rare Best From The West 10" jazz LPs for Blue Note – originally billed as a "blindfold test" under the supervision of Leonard Feather, and some of the label's only west coast jazz sessions of the 50s! The musicians on the original record were not named – probably because of contractual reasons – but artists include Conte Candoli, Jimmy Giuffre, Charlie Mariano, Howard Roberts, Marty Paich, and others – all coming together with a fresh, clean sound that's very much in the spirit of some of the best west coast work for labels like Pacific Jazz or Capitol at the time! This CD reissue includes both of the original 10" albums on one set – along with much-needed notes on the players. Titles include "Santa Anita", "Culver City", "Burbank Bounce", "Arcadia", "Here's Pete", "Santa Monica", and "Blindfold Test No 1". The set then features 9 more tracks from sine 1957 sessions produced by Howard Lucraft, also done as a study in West Coast jazz – featuring compositions by Lucraft that include "Smog A La Mode", "Jazz For Gene", "Larrisa", and "California Zephyr – played by 3 different groups of players that include Bud Shank, Conte Candoli, Stu Williamson, Frank Rosolino, Charlie Mariano, and Buddy Collette. Last up are 4 more tunes from a 1955 session that features Stu Williamson, Herb Geller, Jack Montrose, and Bob Gordon – on tracks that include "Id", "I'm Forever Counting Geigers", and "Skip To Me Loot". 38 tracks in all – with full notes on the sessions and players! CD

Great early west coast jazz! This album puts together 2 different sessions both recorded by Gene Norman in the early 50s. One features Shorty Rogers heading up a great group with Art Pepper and Jimmy Giuffre – on the tracks "Four Mothers", "Didi", "Sam & The Lady", and "Popo". The other features classic cool Gerry Mulligan material – played by a tentet with Chet Baker, Bud Shank, and Bob Enevoldsen. Titles on that one include "Westwood Walk", "Simbah", "Walking Shoes", and "Rocker". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album of Latin grooves from Shorty! The record is one of his best, and features a whopping array of percussionists – including Carlos Vidal, Modesto Duran, and Mike Pacheco all coming into play with Shorty's west coast style of arrangements, tweaked greatly here to pick up an Afro Cuban sound. Players include Bud Shank, Bill Holman, Frank Rosolino, Herb Geller, and Bob Cooper – and the album is very similar to Perez Prado's Voodoo Suite album, which was also recorded for RCA around the same time. Includes the cuts "Un Poco Loco", "Manteca", "Viva Puente", and the extended suite "Wuayacanjanga". CD

A wonderful album of Latin grooves from Shorty! The record is one of his best, and features a whopping array of percussionists – including Carlos Vidal, Modesto Duran, and Mike Pacheco all coming into play with Shorty's west coast style of arrangements, tweaked greatly here to pick up an Afro Cuban sound. Players include Bud Shank, Bill Holman, Frank Rosolino, Herb Geller, and Bob Cooper – and the album is very similar to Perez Prado's Voodoo Suite album, which was also recorded for RCA around the same time. Includes the cuts "Un Poco Loco", "Manteca", "Viva Puente", and the extended suite "Wuayacanjanga". CD

2 of our favorite albums by Shorty Rogers – both of them groovy sets that differ from most of Shorty's other work! Bossa Nova is especially great – a set of swinging big band versions of bossa tunes, done in a style that's kind of in the Capitol Records 60s mode, with lots of very nice twists, turns, and acoustic guitar. Titles include "Samba Do Lorinho", "Samba Triste", "O Amore E A Rosa", "Pao De Assucar", "So Um Amor", and "O Menino Desce O Morro". Jazz Waltz is a bit different, kind of in the mode of Shorty's 50s big band albums – but done with a groove that's very modal, in keeping with the waltz format of the work. The tunes have some surprisingly nice touches – like vibes and flute – and groove in a style that reminds us of some of the mid to late 60s soul jazz sets on Atlantic. Titles include "Terrence's Farewell", "The Streets Of Laredo", "I'm Gonna Go Fishin", "Walk On The Wild Side", "Jazz Waltz", and "Be As Children". CD

Tight big band work from Shorty Rogers – cut a few years after his early LA sides for RCA, but in a very similar mode. The tracks are slightly longer than usual, and it's stunning how many players get to solo on each track. Most only get a few bars, but they make more than enough with the space – as they're all old hands at soloing in such a setting. Players include Herb Geller, Jack Montrose, Frank Rosolino, Richie Kamuca, Pepper Adams, and Bill Holman. Titles include "Play Boy", "Red Dog Play", "The Line Backer", and "Martian's Lullaby". CD

Great 70s issue of rare 50s material – a sweet small group with Shorty Rogers on trumpet and Art Pepper on alto! LP, Vinyl record album

An RCA classic from Shorty – one that features an expanded version of his Giants group, running through some of the best compositions of Richard Rogers! The gimmick of the twin Rogers in the title notwithstanding, the album's a pretty tight little set – as Shorty's leading an all-star group that includes Pete & Conte Candoli, Frank Rosolino, Jack Montrose, Bill Holman, Pete Jolly, and Pepper Adams – all of whom are great company in this session of tight arrangements. Shorty still gives the best players enough solo space to keep things interesting – and the real charm of the record is the way that familiar tunes are transformed by the swinging arrangements and surprisingly nice solo moments. Titles include "I've Got Five Dollars", "A Ship Without A Sail", "Mimi", "Ten Cents A Dance", "The Girl Friend", "On A Desert Island With Thee", and "I Could Write A Book". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime work by a singer who should have dominated the 60s – had he not left this planet in an auto accident early in his short career! Jesse is wonderful here – getting even more coolness and class on RCA than he did in an indie setting – with help from the groups of Shorty Rogers and Dennis Farnon! Most numbers are standards, but done in a nicely soulful style – with titles that include "Witchcraft", "Guess Who", "Alright OK You Win", "Secret Love", "Love Is Here To Stay", "Now You Know", "Take Me Back To The Island", and "Funny". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure vocal jazz gem from the LA scene of the 50s – recorded for Atlantic, but done in a style that's a fair bit like the best work for Bethlehem or Mode at the time! Betty Bennett sings here with backings from Shorty Rogers on one side, and Andre Previn on the other – often in a mode that's slightly dark, and subdued – gently moving forth with a nice sense of restraint. Betty's vocals burst out nicely at times – showing a nicely illustrative style, especially on some of the more story-based tunes – and there's a nice choice of material here that's a refreshing change from some of the overdone standards on other vocal albums. Tracks include "Sidewalks Of Cuba", "Island In The West Indies", "Tomorrow Mountain", "This Is The Moment", and "Treat Me Rough". CD

A set that features lots of great arrangements from Shorty Rogers – upbeat and jazzy, in ways that aren't exactly the Latin modes promised by the title, but still pretty darn great! Rogers his hitting nicely here on all burners – that leaner 60s approach he used in some of his own great records of the time, with rhythms that borrow a bit from bossa and Latin jazz, but turn their elements towards a west coast sort of groove in the end. Lennie Hayton conducts the orchestra, but he's definitely moving in a Rogers-directed mode – much more so than on earlier dates with Lena for RCA. Titles include "Meditation", "More", "Old Devil Moon", "My Blue Heaven", "Cuckoo In The Clock", "From This Moment On", and "Take Me". LP, Vinyl record album

With featured soloists including Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Milt Bernhart, Ray Wetzel, Bob Cooper, Lennie Niehaus, Bill Holman, Lee Konitz, Kent Larsen, Bill Perkins, Jack Sheldon, Richie Kamuca, Jerry McKenzie, San Noto, Gabe Baltazar, Dick Hypde, Bud Shank, and John Lowe. LP, Vinyl record album

A strong mid 50s trio outing from west coast pianist Lou Levy – recorded under the supervision of Shorty Rogers during his time working with RCA. The set's got a harder-swinging edge than you might expect – and grooves in the manner of some of Levy's other fine mid 50s work – thanks to excellent accompaniment from Max Bennett on bass and Stan Levy on drums. Lou's work on the keys really pushes things nicely – hitting some unexpected gutbuckety tones, and working with a bluesy undercurrent that's a far cry from his west coast roots. Titles include "Apartment 17", "Yesterdays", "Angel Eyes", "Lou's Blues", "How About You", and "Woody N Lou". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff – and one of the stranger examples of a very short-lived jazz trend – the "jazz meets folk" style that appeared on a handful of albums in the early 60s! The set features Shelly Manne exploring his Jewish heritage on a host of Israeli and Jewish folk tunes, played with a group that includes Shorty Rogers, Teddy Edwards, Victor Feldman, and Al Viola. The overall sound is pretty cool – as the tracks have an angular jaunty approach that lends itself well to Manne's dexterous drumming, and a lingering sadness that brings out a nice tone in Edwards' tenor. Titles include "Zamar Nodad", "Bokrei Lachish", "Orchah Bamidbar", "My Yiddishe Momme", and "Tzena". Plus, the CD features 4 bonus tracks – all single edits of tunes on the album! CD

The only album to ever feature drummer Lawrence Marable as the leader of a group – and a cooking little hardbop set that showed the world that LA wasn't just a source for cool jazz in the 50s! The record is quite different than anything you'd hear from Chet Baker or Shorty Rogers – much more a Blue Note or Prestige-styled session, thanks in large part to the bold work of James Clay on tenor – who's noted here in the title, but is also an undeniable force in the music, and part of a wave of Texas talent that was really helping to transform the Cali sound in the 50s. Other players include the great Sonny Clark on piano – making a strong pre-Blue Note appearance – and the equally great Jimmy Bond on bass. Titles include "Airtight", "Easy Living", "Minor Meeting", "Marbles", and "Three Fingers North". CD

Two great lost albums from Carmen – very different than her earlier work, kind of a mixture of jazz, soul, and pop, in territory that's a bit like work by Nancy Wilson or Marlena Shaw. Sound of Silence has Carmen working with arrangments by Shorty Rogers and Jimmy Jones – nicely jazzy, but with other sophisticated touches that open up Carmen's palette a lot. Titles include "Watch What Happens", "Sound Of Silence", "MacArthur Park", "Can You Tell", and "Gloomy Sunday". Portrait Of Carmen is one of her hippest LPs ever, and a great set of vocal gems that often gets overlooked. Arrangements are by Benny Carter, Shorty Rogers, and Oliver Nelson – and the album's got a swinging groovy style that pushes Carmen past her schmaltzier jazz vocal roots. The album kicks off with an amazing reading of Tommy Wolf's "I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco", done by Carmen in a way that makes you know she owns the song – and then it moves through a compelling blend of compositions that includes "My Very Own Person", "Ask Any Woman", "Boy, Do I Have A Surprise For You", and "Elusive Butterfly". CD

A compilation of Bird's work with the groups of Barry Ulanov and Howard McGhee; with sidemen that include Lennie Tristano, Ray Brown, Maz Roach, Russ Foreeman, Shorty Rogers, Hampton Hawes, and Roy Porter. LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure pre-Mode date from vocalist Lucy Ann Polk – and a set that's got a wonderful LA 50s feel! Backings here are by the Dave Pell Octet – with Pell on tenor, Ronny Lang on alto, Don Fagerquist on trumpet, and Claude Williamson on piano – and arrangements are by Wes Hensel and Shorty Rogers, nice and jazzy throughout! Lucy's approach to the tunes is light and lovely, but she also burns with a bit of a deeper fire at times too – a bluer tone underneath the charm up top. Titles include "But Beautiful", "Imagination", "It Could Happen To You", "It's Always You", and "Darn That Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collaboration between Perez Prado and trumpeter Shorty Rogers – one in which Rogers' solos sparkle brilliantly over the top of Perez's tight Latin rhythms – all in a style that's as moody as it is evocative and rhythmic! Side one features the extended "Voodoo Suite" – a side-long track that builds nicely on rootsy Latin rhythms that are much freer than Prado's pop work of the 50s – and which features a growing jazz horizon at the edges, filled with players who include Bud Shank on alto and flute, Bob Cooper on tenor, Shelly Manne on drums, and Pete Candoli on trumpet – in a larger section underneath Shorty Rogers' solos. Side two features shorter tracks recorded a year later – a bit more in the standard Prado mode, but still with a really dynamic feel, and contributions from jazz players like Candoli and Rolf Erikson on trumpets, Willie Maiden on tenor, and Jay Hill on trombone. Titles include "Music Makers", "In The Mood", "St. James Infirmary", and "Jumpin At The Woodside". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the earliest sets issued under the name of the Lighthouse All-Stars – that hip assemblage of west coast players headed by bassist Howard Rumsey – hardly a household name on his own, but well-remembered for all the great work done at this famous club! The lineup is a who's who of key players on the west coast at the time – Shorty Rogers and Maynard Ferguson on trumpet, Jimmy Giuffre and Bob Cooper on tenor, Hampton Hawes on piano, Milt Bernhart on trombone, and Shelly Manne on drums – and some tracks are a bit longer than usual, offering up freer solo space than you're likely to get on other west coast dates – a key contribution of the All-Stars recording mode. Titles include "Creme De Menthe", "Four Others", "La Sonicalli", "Morgan Davis", "Bernie's Tune", "Viva Zapata", and "All The Things You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

Great Bud Shank album, in which he's paired with two different groups on the two different sides of the record. Shorty Rogers holds the lead with him on one side, and Bill Perkins is on the other. Shorty's playing is good, but Perkins is fantastic here. Him and Shank's playing is the stuff that dreams of West Coast jazz are made of. Cool reed work, in a mellow mellow vein. Includes almost a full album's worth of bonus material! CD

An incredibly untapped world of cinematic jazz – pulled from an array of Spanish films of the late 50s and early 60s – most of which have soundtracks as dynamic as work coming from France or Italy at the time! A good portion of the tracks here are scored by Jose Sola – who seems to draw inspiration from some of the west coast jazz soundtracks of the 50s – work by Elmer Bernstein, Shorty Rogers, Leith Stevens, and others – blending standout soloists with fuller backings, but in a way that matches the stark energy of the images on the screen! The CD's an unusual one in that many of the tunes are quite long – upwards of 10 minutes, and very different than the shorter snippets of jazz you might get on other soundtrack efforts from the same generation – and some numbers keep in bits of the dialogue, presenting the music with sound that's more "cinematic" than straight studio recording. Solo instruments include a fair bit of trumpet and alto sax – and the package comes with a great booklet with notes in English and Spanish, plus images from the films. Titles include "Un Vaso De Whisky", "A Sangre Fria", "Altas Variedades", "Los Cuervos", "Regresa Un Desconocido", and "El Salario Del Crimen" by Jose Sola; plus "091 Policia Al Habla" by Augusto Alguero, "Juventud A La Intemperie" by Enrique Escobar, and "A Tiro Limpo" by Federico Martinez Tudo. CD

One of our favorite-ever albums from Mel Torme – a set that sparkles with the same smooth swing as his best late 50s dates for Bethlehem records! Like those sets, this one features Torme's voice really taking off over some tight jazzy charts – arranged by Johnny Williams, Shorty Rogers, and Dick Hazard – all in styles close to those used previously by Marty Paich. But almost even better is the New York theme of the record – surprising, given the anti-NYC vibe of Torme's classic "California Suite" – but perfect, too, as it really ties the whole thing together wonderfully – creating this beautiful picture of the Big Apple in the postwar years. Titles include the greatest version of "Sunday In New York" you'll ever hear – plus "Let Me Off Uptown", "Autumn In New York", "New York New York", "Manhattan", and "My Time Of Day". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredibly groovy album – filled with instrumental tracks that shift between funky big band and groovy 60s soundtrack – all arranged by Mike Nesmith and Shorty Rogers! The feel here is like that of some of Rogers' other groovy late 60s instrumental one-off albums – like his hot rod, dune buggy, or surf-orchestra sides – and Nesmith brings in a slightly cynical tone that manifests itself in the choice of some of the instrumentation for the tracks, and the overall setting of the record. Think Monkees instrumentals gone groovier, and you've got part of the picture – but there's also plenty of snippets of Sunset Strip hip and Warner Brothers longing for the past too! Titles include "While I Cried", "Don't Cry Now", "Tapioca Tundra", "Nine Times Blue", "Carlisle Wheeling", and "You Told Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning roster of players made up the house band at Hermosa Beach, CA's legendary Lighthouse Cafe – an outfit accompanied on these early-to-mid 50s dates by tenor sax giant Stan Getz – with work that's as much an aural snapshot of the sound of place and time as it is a piece of the players' pedigrees! The 2CDs in this set is made up of work captured on a few dates in 1953 and 1955 – some of it laidback and charming, and some of it with more than a little bit of heat and heaviness – with lots of players that include Russ Freeman on piano, Shelly Manne on drums, Jimmy Guiffre on baritone, Teddy Charles on vibes, Howard Rumsey on bass, Shorty Rogers and Maynard Ferguson on trumpets, Milt Bernhart on trombone, and others! Disc 1 titles include "I Only Have Eyes For You", "Jive At Five", "Moonlight In Vermont", Topsy", "Bernie's Tune", "Solitaire" and more. Disc 2 includes "Morgan Davis", "La Soncailli", "The Big Top", "The Duke You Say!", "Mood For Lighthouse", "Casa De Luz" and more. CD

A full length album that brings together 2 different earlier 10" sessions by Manne – groundbreaking work in a freer mode than most of what was going on in LA during the mid 50s! Side one features material from The Three – a 10" session that featured Manne on drums, Shorty Rogers on trumpet, and Jimmy Giuffre on tenor, clarinet, and baritone. The trio work their way – bass and piano-less – through tunes that include "Pas De Trois", "Flip", "Abstract No 1", and "Steeplechase". Side two features material from The Two – an even freer session, with Manne on drums and Russ Freeman on piano – no other accompaniment, and sounding quite revolutionary for the time! Titles include "Billie's Bounce", "The Sound Effects Manne", "Everything Happens To Me", and "Speak Easy". CD

Includes tracks by Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Shorty Rogers, Buddy DeFranco, and June Christy. 25 tracks total! CD

One of Carmen McRae's great 60s albums for Atlantic Records – a set that's still strongly jazz-based overall, but which seems to have an extra dose of soul at the bottom! The approach is a bit like the best late 60s sides by Nancy Wilson or Marlena Shaw – rooted in jazz, but hipper with some soulful elements in the backdrops – penned in this case by Jimmy Jones and Shorty Rogers, both of whom do a great job with the arrangements. The crispness of Carmen's voice works perfectly in the setting – and titles include "Watch What Happens", "Sound Of Silence", "MacArthur Park", "Can You Tell", and "Gloomy Sunday". LP, Vinyl record album