Stan Getz Music

A mid-70's jazz masterpiece!

This title has always been a jazz ballad hallmark, hailed by the '70s and '80s jazz critics, but now largely forgotten.

Rowles' relaxed style allows Getz and company to stretch out and explore the songs. "The Peacocks" is a minor key blues ballad that allows Getz to express his trademark mournful style. Lester Left Town is a classic Shorter hard bop song, and is a sample of the rich variety the bop composition could contain. (The other classic Shorter composition, the Chess Players, adds strange lyrics which have nothing to do with chess).

Hasn't dated one bit!!!

This is a wonderful record, and anyone who is a fan of Stan Getz will enjoy his excellent playing here, with great company -- Jimmy Rowles, an idiosyncratic and charming pianist who was somewhat underappreciated because he spent most of his career on the west coast, and the greats Buster Williams and Elvin Jones. A couple of performances here are real classics -- especially "The Peacocks", a beautiful tune which was also performed by some other fine musicians for the soundtrack of the film "Round Midnight." My only quibble is the Jon Hendricks vocal additions on two tunes -- he transcribed two of Getz's improvised solos and overdubbed sung versions of the solos later, so it sounds like Getz and the singers are improvising together. I find the effect weird. And especially on this GREAT performance of Wayner Shorter's "The Chess Players" (why is this incredibly swinging tune not played more often?) I dearly wish I could hear it without the voices. If anyone from Columbia happens to read this -- there are many of us fans out here waiting for a re-release of this album with a bonus track WITHOUT the voices. What heaven that would be.

The idea of Stan Getz and Chet Baker looked good on paper, but the music, however, wasn't rewarding. The fact that Getz and Baker didn't like each other perhaps marred what, otherwise, could have been an amazing collaboration. I mean there's really no words to describe the music other than stale and lacking any kind of fire or passion. Both Baker and Getz are emotionally and intellectually detached from each other, which makes for bad music making.

This only proves my theory if looks too good to be true, it probably is. Baker and Getz fans stay away from this one and pursue their work as leaders.

True, Getz' jealousy of Baker's musical talent and popularity has always been a factor in their musical relationship. Nowhere is this seen more flagrantly than on the 3CD Getz/Baker "The Stockholm Concerts" 2/18/83 performances (Verve 537 555-2). This should not be a factor to discourage a fan of either musician from purchasing this release. Frequently, the competition between musicians creates some fantastic creative improvisation, and that's exactly what "West Coast Live" documents. Both Getz and Baker are youthful and fluid in their ideas. Baker's chops are solid, as he has teeth at this period of his career. The selection of Bop classics couldn't be more pleasing. I have listened to these disks close to 100 times, and still hear new content. True, Getz' ego has always run away with itself when in the presence of Baker, but that's what keeps both musicians on their toes. Personally, I do feel Baker was overly passive and unfairly abused by Getz, but feeling sorry for him is unnecessary. Baker stands on his own quite well, and in my opinion, steals the show on these classic live performances. No wonder Getz' was jealous!

The song you have listed as "This time the dream's on me" is
actually "Just the way you look tonight."

Sometimes it helps to go back. I wrote this review years ago I relistened to my dusty copy and I was dead wrong. I must revise it.

Stan Getz and Chet Baker hated each other, according to "Stan Getz, A Life in Jazz". At least Stan thought Baker was unprofessional and often "smacked up" falling over, off-key, out-of-tune. Stan was probably just as high, but could seemingly play perfectly no matter how high he was. Future Stan often got annoyed with Chet's sloppy play. On the album "Quintessence 1" and many others, this is certainly true. Yet they were constantly being pushed together by record companies, to make that magic album by the Kings of Cool that always eluded the producers.

But not here, particularly. Both sound amazingly sober. It's 1953, Gerry Mulligan is in slam for indulging in his bad habits. Baker with Mulligan's old band looking for work and trolling around for a sax man.

No Baker croning here (at this point in his life Chet sang his best or mostly in-tune, stuff). There is the kind of complex, yet Cool, aloof bepop duets that one finds with Getz and Brookmeyer. Getz and Baker carefully dance around each other creating instant chords without a piano. "Bernies Tune", the Mulligan classic, is an excellent example, not the sax solo's, then trumpet but true interaction. All here is Cool, witty, dry and buttoned-down. Which I guess means "West Coast". A dry martini. Almost like Paul Desmond!

What I'd have liked more of, except for "Yesterdays" "What's New" and a pinch of "Funny Valentine", is heartfelt ballads where the primaries dig deep within themselves. Most is fast, light, intricate bepop. Never raucous. There are two versions of the annoying "Winter Wonderland"

If I could change my rating this really deserves a solid 3 1/2 to four stars. No it's not profound or deeply moving but enjoyable.

Monophonic recording

Like the "Roost Sessions", there are some good, cool, VERY early, undated Getz performances. By the sound quality, I would estimate about 1950 or so.

Dreadful technical quality in the recordings, much worse than "Roost", if you can imagine, some recordings transcribed from LP's (78's?) with pops and scratches.

Recording quality mars Stan in these warm, cool, reserved sessions. Stan, as usual is great, with a lot of ballads.

Backup band sounds mediocre, journeyman performers(?) May have been cut during his Swedish exile.(?)

No credits.

If you like "Roost" you may like this.

The live record "Yours and Mine" (and its companion "Soul Eyes") are valuable and remarkable additions to the vast legacy of one of the greatest saxophone players in Jazz history. The two records contain 12 tunes Getz and his quartet recorded in Glasgow, Scotland, in June 1989 and 3 additional tracks from a gig in Denmark, recorded a month later. The liner notes state that the Glasgow date was "one of the days when everything was working", that puts it in a nutshell. Getz was in a great mood (listen to his zany comments after the first tune) and his superior talent got the necessary kick to yield a truly memorable record. So far, I considered "The Dolphin" his ultimate live record, but "Yours and Mine" is even better. He shines on ballads like "Yours and Mine" and "People Time", on up tempo rousers like "What Is This Thing Called Love" and on "Joanne Julia", a lovely reminiscence of his Bossa Nova days, when Getz became the most successful jazz musician in history. So, just sit back and relax and let an old friend soothe your soul with his utterly absorbing tone. This is a marvelous hour of Stan Getz at his best. Just great, if you are a Getz fan, and an incomparable experience if you're new to Stan Getz. You're in for a treat!