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West Coast Jazz

In the 1950s, West Coast jazz was famed as light, bright and witty; but it had a more intense side as well. Geoffrey Smith explores its stars and styles from Stan Kenton and Gerry Mulligan to Art Pepper and Ornette Coleman.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 18 Sep 201600:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Jazz Studio 2, Don Fagerquist, John Graas, Gerry Mulligan, Marty Paich, Howard Roberts, Red Mitchell & Larry Bunker

    Mulliganesque

    • Jazz Studio 3/4 Complete Sessions.
    • Lonehill Jazz.
    • 1.

  • Howard Rumsey

    Viva Zapata

    • Jazz West Coast.
    • Fremaux.
    • 5.

  • Louie Bellson, WILLIE SMITH, Harry Carney, Juan Tizol & Billy Strayhorn

    Punkin'

    • THREE CLASSIC ALBUMS.
    • AVID.
    • 7.

  • Chico Hamilton

    The Morning After

    • Three Classic Albums.
    • AVID.
    • 5.

  • Jimmy Giuffre

    Finger Snapper

    • Four Classic Albums Plus.
    • AVID.
    • 12.

  • Curtis Counce

    Complete

    • Four Classic Albums.
    • AVID.
    • 8.

  • Art Pepper

    You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

    • Work of Art.
    • Properbox.
    • 15.

  • Gerry Mulligan & Gerry Mulligan Plus Band

    Black Nightgown

    • I Want to Live.
    • Rykodisc.
    • 17.

  • Harold Land

    Little Chris

    • The Fox.
    • Contemporary.
    • 5.

  • Ornette Coleman

    The Sphinx

    • Something Else.
    • Contemporary.
    • 9.

  • Charlie Haden

    The Good Life

    • Quartet West.
    • Verve.
    • 3.

Performers:

Title: Mulliganesque
Performers: Jazz Studio 
Composers: John Graas 
Album Title: Jazz Studio 3/4 Complete Sessions 
Label: Lonehill Jazz Catalogue No: LHJ10146 
Duration: 05’21 
Performers: Don Fagerquist, trumpet; John Grass, French horn; Gerry Mulligan, baritone saxophone; Marty Paich, piano; Howard Roberts, guitar; Red Mitchell, bass; Larry Bunker, drums.

Title: Viva Zapata
Performers: Howard Rumsey 
Composers: Alex North 
Album Title: Jazz West Coast
Label: Fremaux Catalogue No: FA5281 
Duration: 03’20 
Performers: Shorty Rogers, trumpet; Milt bernhart, trombone; Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Cooper, tenor saxophone; Frank Patchen, piano; Howard Rumsey, bass; Shelly Manne, drums; Carlos Vidal, conga.

Title: Punkin'
Performers: Louis Bellson
Composers: Shorty Rogers
Album Title: Four Classic Albums Plus
Label: Avid No: AMSC1066 
Duration: 03’18 
Performers: Willie Smith, alto saxophone; Wardell Gray, tenor saxophone; Harry Carney, baritone saxophone; Billy Strayhorn, piano; Juan Tizol, valve trombone; Wendell Marshall, bass; Clark Terry, trumpet; John Graas, French horn; Louis Bellson, drums.

Title: The Morning After
Performers: Chico Hamilton 
Composers: Chico Hamilton 
Album Title: Three Classic Albums 
Label: AVID Catalogue No: AMSC949 
Duration: 02’07 
Performers: Chico Hamilton, drums; Buddy Colette, clarinet; Fred Katz, cello; Jim Hall, guitar; Carson Smith, bass.

Title: Finger Snapper
Performers: Jimmy Giuffre 
Composers: Jimmy Giuffre
Album Title: Four Classic Albums Plus 
Label: AVID Catalogue No: AMSC 948 
Duration: 02’34 
Performers: Jimmy Giuffre, baritone saxophone; Jack Sheldon, trumpet, Ralph Pena, bass, Artie Anton, drums.

Title: Complete
Performers: Curtis Counce 
Composers: Curtis Counce 
Album Title: Four Classic Albums 
Label: Avid Catalogue No: AMSC1196 
Duration: 05’52
Performers: Curtis Counce, bass; Harold Land, tenor saxophone; Jack Sheldon, trumpet; Carl Perkins, piano; Frank Butler, drums.

Title: You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
Performers: Art Pepper 
Composers: Cole Porter 
Album Title: Work of Art
Label: Properbox Catalogue No: P1675 
Duration: 05’27
Performers: Art Pepper, alto saxophone; Red Garland, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums.

Title: Black Nightgown
Performers: Gerry Mulligan 
Composers: Gerry Mulligan 
Album Title: I Want to Live 
Label: Verve Catalogue No: V8396 
Duration: 04’05 
Performers: Gerry Mulligan, baritone saxophone; Bud Shank, alto saxophone; Art Farmer, trumpet; Frank Rosolino, trombone; Pete Jolly, piano; Red Mitchell, bass; Shelly Manne, drums.

Title: Little Chris
Performers: Harold Land 
Composers: Harold Land
Album Title: The Fox 
Label: Contemporary Catalogue No: OJCCD3432 
Duration: 05’07 
Performers: Harold Land, tenor saxophone; Dupree Bolton, trumpet; Elmo Hope, piano; Herbie Lewis, bass; Frank Butler, drums.

Title: The Sphinx
Performers: Ornette Coleman 
Composers: Ornette Coleman 
Album Title: Something Else 
Label: Contemporary Catalogue No: OJCCD-1632 
Duration: 04’14
Performers: Ornette Coleman, alto saxophone; Don Cherry, trumpet; Walter Norris, piano; Don Payne, bass; Billy Higgins, drums.

Title: The Good Life
Performers: Charlie Haden 
Composers: Ornette Coleman 
Album Title: Quartet West 
Label: Verve Catalogue No: 831-6732
Duration: 04’39 
Performers: Ornette Coleman, alto saxophone; Don Cherry, trumpet; Walter Norris, piano; Don Payne, bass; Billy Higgins, drums.

Broadcast

  • Sun 18 Sep 201600:00
    BBC Radio 3

Podcast

  • Geoffrey Smith's Jazz

    Geoffrey Smith's Jazz - a weekly sequence exploring what makes great jazz great music