AVID Jazz here presents four classic Andre Previn albums including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD.
“West Side Story”………A 1959 recording of the classic Leonard Bernstein score featuring Andre Previn on piano accompanied by Red Mitchell on bass and Shelly Manne on drums. Take a listen and consider Bernstein’s thoughts from his book “The Joy Of Music”……..”A popular song doesn’t become jazz until it is improvised on, and there you have the real core of jazz improvisation”. “Collaboration”…….Andre is joined by Shorty Rogers in an unusual collaboration where each arranger takes turns to lead off with three standard arrangements while the other follows with three original tunes based on the standards chords (with, of course, numerous variations)…this is jazz after all!! Joining in the fun are players such as Bud Shank, Jimmy Giuffre, Shelly Manne and Al Hendrickson on guitar. “King Size”……..Using the trio Previn had regularly taken on tour, Red Mitchell on bass and Frankie Capp on drums King Size is shot through with a “group spirit and naturalness of interplay” that could only come from a group who have spent a lot of time together on the road and know each other intimately. “Pal Joey”……..Previn is again joined by Shelly Manne and Red Mitchell for this completely improvised Rodgers and Hart classic. The album was developed by Previn playing the tunes through straight and then throwing them open to the band for their improvisational ideas. The resulting tracks you will hear were then usually accomplished in one take!
All four albums have been digitally re-mastered for probably the finest sound quality ever!
CD1
1-8: ‘West Side Story’
1. Something’s Coming
2. Jet Song
3. Tonight
4. I Feel Pretty
5. Gee, Officer Krupke!
6. Cool
7. Maria
8. America
9-20: ‘Collaboration’
9. It’s Delovely
10. Porterhouse
11. Heat Wave
12. 40º Below
13. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
14. Claudia
15. You Do Something To Me
16. Call For Cole
17. Everything I’ve Got
18. Some Antics
19. It Only Happens When I Dance With You
20. General Cluster
21: ‘King Size’
21. I’ll Remember April
CD2
1-5: ‘King Size’
1. Much Too Late
2. You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To
3. It Could Happen To You
4. Low And Inside
5. I’m Beginning To See The Light
6-14: ‘Pal Joey’
6. I Could Write A Book
7. That Terrific Rainbow
8. Bewitched
9. Take Him
10. Zip
11. It’s A Great Big Town
12. What Is A Man
13. I’m Talkin’ With My Pal
14. Do It The Hard Way
