The Contemporary Records Story

Artist: Various
Title: The Contemporary Records Story (4 CD Set)
Genre: Jazz
Label: Contemporary Records

Lester Koenig’s independent (yes there was indie music back in the 50s) Contemporary Records label was home to some of the brightest stars in jazz from 1952-1977. The roster was immense and very impressive. Luminaries such as Shelly Manne, Hampton Hawes, Victor Feldman, Art Pepper, and Ray Brown called the label home for many productive and wonderful years. To be sure, this label helped to shape jazz into what it is today.

The Contemporary Records Story is a handsomely bound book and placeholder for four amazing and eclectic CDs, including pictures of the album covers from where the tracks originally came from. What I enjoyed the most about this comprehensive set, was the mixture of different styles and ranges each featured artist had at their disposal. Koenig was able to bring out the best in this adventurous group of individuals.

Any jazz lover would treasure this collection as I do. Nearly every style of jazz you can imagine gets coverage within the 57 tracks found on this set. I listened several times with great joy to this music. Some box sets can become predictable and mundane by the time you spin the third disc, this is not the case here at all. There is something new and interesting to discover on every CD. This boxed set would be a great starter for those that want to learn more about jazz and the different styles within the genus, and not a bad stocking stuffer either for you late Christmas shoppers.

© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-http://www.muzikreviews.com

December 19, 2004

Disc: 1

01. Big Girl - Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars
02. Viva Zapata! [Live] - Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars
03. You and the Night and the Music - Shelly Manne
04. Lullaby of Birdland - Barney Kessel
05. Bags' Groove - Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars
06. Day by Day - Lennie Niehaus
07. Flip - Shelly Manne
08. Billie's Bounce - Shelly Manne
09. Champ - Hampton Hawes Trio
10. Blues the Most - Hampton Hawes Trio
11. Blue Moon - Lyle Murphy
12. Easy Terms - Duane Tatro
13. Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas - Shelly Manne
14. Ruby - Buddy Collette
15. I Could Have Danced All Night - Shelly Manne
16. Fifth for Frank - Curtis Counce

Disc: 2

01. Serenade in Blue - Gerald Wiggins
02. All the Things You Are - Art Pepper
03. Star Eyes - Art Pepper
04. Paying the Dues Blues - Red Norvo
05. I'm an Old Cowhand - Sonny Rollins
06. Jordu - The Poll Winners
07. Scrapple From the Apple - Red Mitchell
08. Old Fashioned Love - Benny Carter
09. On the Sunny Side of the Street - Leroy Vinnegar
10. Whisper Not - Benny Golson
11. I Could Write a Book - André Previn & His Pals
12. Grooveyard - Harold Land
13. Serpent's Tooth - Victor Feldman
14. Invisible - Ornette Coleman

Disc: 3

01. Hip - Hampton Hawes
02. Stablemates - Art Farmer
03. African Violets - Cecil Taylor Quartet
04. Autumn in New York - André Previn
05. I've Told Ev'ry Little Star - Sonny Rollins
06. Someone to Watch over Me - Benny Carter
07. Bill Bailey - Helen Humes
08. Peter Gunn - Shelly Manne
09. Barfly - Elmo Hope
10. Greensleeves - Bill Smith
11. Airegin - Art Pepper
12. Down Among the Sheltering Palms - Barney Kessel
13. Blue Daniel - Shelly Manne
14. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise - Art Pepper
15. Sermon - Teddy Edwards Quartet

Disc: 4

01. Stardust - Ben Webster
02. Misty - Teddy Edwards
03. Summertime - Howard McGhee
04. Oleo - Phineas Newborn
05. Exodus - Shelly Manne
06. Deed for Dolphy - Woody Shaw
07. My Funny Valentine - Art Farmer
08. Morning - Hampton Hawes
09. Will You Still Be Mine? - Art Farmer
10. Beyond the Rain - Chico Free
12. Over the Rainbow - Art Pepper