3-CD Box set, 60-page booklet including comprehensive biography, original liner notes and cover art, rare photos, unseen memorabilia and extensive discography.
Shelly Manne (1920-1984) was one of the most important drummers in jazz history. Originally a player in the Sidney Catlett mode, he came under the influence of bop in the 40s, with a style similar to Max Roachs. But a spell with Kenton and a subsequent move to California developed his playing to a high artistic level. Always a colorist, he was known to tune his drums to a definite pitch in order to play melody in the true sense of the phrase.
Having joined the Lighthouse All Stars in 1952, he was by then the leading drummer of the nascent West Coast movement. After a stint with Shorty Rogers Giants at the end of 1955, he decided to form his own quintet to play the jazz circuit, keeping the trademark name, Shelly Manne and his Men, and the group established itself among the top-line concert and club attractions on the US jazz scene.
Opening with his first recordings as a leader for Dee Gee Records in 1951 (Chicago) and 1952 (Los Angeles), this collection covers both these septet sessions and the great series of all-star septet and quintet recordings made for Contemporary by Shelly Manne and His Men between 1953 and 1958. Heres that Manne.
Tracklist
Total time: 227:09 min.
CD 1
SHELLY MANNE SEPTET
01. The Count On Rush Street (3:05)
02. All Of Me (2:22)
03. Pooch McGooch (2:37)
04. Back In Your Own Backyard (2:24)
05. Slightly Brightly (2:34)
06. I Dont Mean A Thing (2:17)
07. The Princess Of Evil (3:13)
08. Deep People (2:58)
SHELLY MANNE & HIS MEN (Septet)
09. Mallets (3:24)
10. You And The Night And The Music (3:07)
11. La Mucura (2:59)
12. Gazelle (2:58)
13. Youre My Thrill (3:01)
14. Fugue (2:44)
15. Afrodesia (3:28)
16. Sweets (2:50)
17. Alternation (3:37)
18. Dimension In Thirds (2:54)
19. Shapes, Motion, Colors (6:44)
20. Lullaby (2:27)
21. Etude De Concert (6:38)
22. Divertimento For Brass And Rhythm (2:55)
CD 2
SHELLY MANNE & HIS MEN (Septet)
01. Grasshopper (2:48)
02. Summer Night (3:16)
03. Spring Is Here (2:39)
04. Youre Getting To Be A Habit With Me (3:11)
SHELLY MANNE & HIS MEN (Quintet)
05. Bags Groove (10:44)
06. My Old Flame (5:43)
07. The Dart Game (3:08)
08. Beas Flat (4:36)
09. Parthenia (4:42)
10. Bernies Tune (4:26)
11. Doxy (6:42)
12. Slan (4:50)
13. A Gem From Tiffany (3:03)
14. Un Poco Loco (9:00)
15. The Wind (4:59)
16. Tommyhawk (4:16)
CD 3
SHELLY MANNE & HIS MEN (Quintet)
01. Moose The Mooche (7:25)
02. Pint Of Blues (9:47)
Quartet (Suite in four parts)
03. Part I (3:14)
04. Part II (4:47)
05. Part III (3:54)
06. Part IV (3:34)
The Gambit (Suite in four parts)
07. Part I - Queens Pawn (4:42)
08. Part II En Passant (3:26)
09. Part III Castling (4:22)
10. Part IV Checkmate (7:14)
11. Sophisticated Rabbit (3:18)
12. Blu Gnu (6:43)
13. Tom Browns Body (5:55)
14. Hugo Hurwhey (6:34)
Album details
Original sources:
CD 1, tracks #1-8 from the 10" LP "Here's That Manne" (Dee Gee MG-1003)
CD 1, tracks #9-16 from the 10" LP "Shelly Manne & His Men, Vol.1" (Contemporary C 2503)
CD 1, tracks #17-22 from the 10" LP "Shelly Manne & His Men, Vol.2" (Contemporary C 2511)
CD 2, tracks #1-4 from the 12" LP "Shelly Manne & His Men, Vol.1 - The West Coast Sounds" (Contemporary C 3507)
CD 2, tracks #5-6 from the 12" LP "Shelly Manne & His Men, Vol.6" (Contemporary C 3536)
CD 2, tracks #7-14 from the 12" LP "Shelly Manne & His Men, Vol.4 - Swinging Sounds" (Contemporary C 3516)
CD 2, tracks #15-16 from the 12" LP "Shelly Manne & His Men, Vol.5 - More Swinging Sounds" (Contemporary C 3519)
CD 3, tracks #1-6 from the 12" LP "Shelly Manne & His Men, Vol.5 - More Swinging Sounds" (Contemporary C 3519)
CD 3, tracks #7-10 and #12-14 from the 12" LP "Shelly Manne & His Men, Vol.7 - The Gambit" (Contemporary C 3557)
CD 3, tracks #11 from the 12" LP "Playboy Jazz All-Stars" (Playboy PB-1957, and C 3536)
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Personnel on CD 1
Tracks #1-4: Shelly Manne Septet, with Conte Candoli (tp), Bill Russo (tb), Art Pepper (as), Bob Cooper (ts), Gene Esposito (p), Don Bagley (b) and Shelly Manne (d & vcl #2). Shelby Davis (vcl #4).
Recorded at Universal Studios, Chicago, on November 12, 1951
Tracks #5-8: Shelly Manne Septet, with Conte Candoli, Shorty Rogers (tp), Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Gordon (bs), Frank Patchen (p), Joe Mondragon (b) and Shelly Manne (d & vcl #6).
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, on January 7, 1952
Tracks #9-12: Shelly Manne and His Men (Septet), with Bob Enevoldsen (v-tb), Art Pepper (as), Bob Cooper (ts), Jimmy Giuffre (bs), Marty Paich (p), Curtis Counce (b) and Shelly Manne (d).
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, on April 6, 1953
Tracks #13-16: Shelly Manne and His Men (Septet), with Bob Enevoldsen (v-tb), Bud Shank (as), Bob Cooper (ts), Jimmy Giuffre (bs), Marty Paich (p), Joe Mondragon (b) and Shelly Manne (d).
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, on July 20, 1953
Tracks #17-19: Shelly Manne and His Men (Septet), with Don Fagerquist (tp), Shorty Rogers (tp &flh), Bob Enevoldsen (v-tb), Paul Sarmento (tuba), Marty Paich (p), Joe Mondragon (b) and Shelly Manne (d).
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, on December 18, 1953
Tracks #20-22: Shelly Manne and His Men (Septet), with Ollie Mitchell (tp), Shorty Rogers (tp & flh), Bob Enevoldsen (v-tb), Paul Sarmento (tub), Russ Freeman (p), Joe Mondragon (b) and Shelly Manne (d).
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, on March 17, 1954
Personnel on CD 2
Tracks #1-4: Shelly Manne and His Men (Septet), with Bob Enevoldsen (v-tb), Joe Maini (as), Bill Holman (ts), Jimmy Giuffre (bs), Russ Freeman (p), Ralph Pena (b) and Shelly Manne (d).
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, on September 13, 1955
Tracks #5-6: Shelly Manne and His Men (Quintet), with Stu Williamson (tp & v-tb #6), Bill Holman (ts), Russ Freeman (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b) and Shelly Manne (d).
Recoded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, on December 6, 1955
Tracks #7-13: Shelly Manne and His Men (Quintet), with Stu Williamson (tp), Charlie Mariano (as), Russ Freeman (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b) and Shelly Manne (d).
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, January 19 & 26, 1956. Track #14 recorded on February 2, 1956 and tracks #15-16 cut at Contemporarys Studio, Hollywood, on August 15, 1956
Personnel on CD 3
Tracks #1-2: Shelly Manne and His Men (Quintet), with Stu Williamson, (tp & v-tb on #4), Charlie Mariano (as), Russ Freeman (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), [Monty Budwig replaces Vinnegar on #7] and Shelly Manne (d).
Recorded at Contemporarys Studio, Hollywood, on August 16, 1956
Tracks #3-6, recorded on July 16, 1956
Track #7, recorded on January 14, 1957
Track #8, recorded on July 17, 1957
Tracks #9-11, recorded on July 25, 1957
Tracks #12-14, recorded on February 24, 1958Press reviews
"I think this package is a great introduction to his formative years. I had forgotten some of the details of his early career; also I really enjoyed re-reading the original liner notes to his albums. The photos are great, and the sound is, I believe, better than the original. This is a priceless package."
-Flip Manne
