Stan Getz Music

I was just browsing the net and found www.jazzcast.com where I heard a sample of this CD. I think it was Stable Mate? Jazz music with style I highly recommend this CD.

A very problematic set. Soaring romantic ballads and happy swing tunes in places, unlistenable singing in others. All in all, much better than the new "Quintessential V.1" (Concord) CD with the same principals.

Everyone thought Stan Getz and Chet Baker would make the ideal group, both associated with "Cool" jazz.

Unfortunately, they hated each other. Stan was off the drugs, at this point in his life and Chet continued to take them til the day he died.

Stan, the consumate professional, was almost always able to play sober or sound that way. After the 50's, Chet always seems high and incapable of singing on-key. According to the liner notes, Stan got so annoyed with Chet's intonation problems he told the producer "him or me" and stormed off.

The CD's are good when Stan plays (70% of the songs), unlistenable when Chet sings(20%). When they play together, it's a dog fight with Stan pushing the tempo's to lose Chet (10%).

Some of the Stan Getz only portion of this CD was available "The Stockholm Concert" on Gazell.

Recording quality is quite good.

When I first purchased this material way-back in the early '80s I didn't know what to make of it. I was a Getz fan but didn't know who this trumpet player was who played with him. I listened to it and immediately loved it, that is, until Chet began to sing. I said to myself, "Oh my God... that has to be the worst voice I've ever heard." It seemed comical to me, at the time. I recorded the entire LP and edited-out all Chet's singing.

Fast-forward about five years; I was then in my mid-20s. I decided to give that LP a listen again, since it had been a few years since I last heard it. I had been exploring jazz quite heavily the previous five years and my tastes had changed.

As expected, I loved the LP. Then Chet began to sing... I listened. On Just Friends he began to scat... I listened and for the first time I got it! I mean, I was totally blown away by his ideas. I looped his scatting, playing the solo over and over, digesting it and committing it to memory. I listened to jazz with the ear of a musician, since I had been taking jazz guitar at the time and was learning the art of the solo.

What made Chet so great in his later years was his seasoned execution and mature building of solos. His solos are often built upon simplicity; the concept that "less is more." You'll notice he effectively uses space when soloing and throws-in lots of notes only when necessary. This use of space is difficult to use well. It's not something that's taught -- it's felt and is a gift to the most talented of musicians. Chet oozed talent. He didn't read music and had a golden ear. This can be heard when soloing, whether on trumpet or by voice.

A few years back I saw this CD in the store and realized it was the complete concert series from that LP I purchased some 18 years earlier. I bought it and listened to the whole thing in one sitting. I thought it was fantastic! Stan and Chet sound great, as always, and the crowd is responsive and appreciative.

The rhythm section is Stan Getz' regular touring group at the time. So, what we have here is the Stan Getz quartet with Chet Baker. The group is top-shelf: Jim McNeely (piano), George Mraz (bass), and Victor Lewis (drums).

A high quality gatefold package is used to house the three CDs and the inside of the left fold contains a booklet with the story behind the music, reproductions of the hand-written set lists with timing indicators, lots of pictures of Stan and Chet in action, and even a letter to Getz regarding the performance. The material was originally released in part on two separate LPs. Both the original releases are shown towards the end of the booklet along with the complete liner notes.

The concert series was faithfully recorded for posterity and wonderfully packaged for release. If you're a fan of great jazz, enjoy either Chet or Stan as musicians, this is a must-have!

If you like American cross-over music this is for you! Alec Wilder manages to combine classical idioms with jazz and popular flair in infinitely varying degrees in these Suites.

At times, I thought Sinatra's crooning voice was around the corner. Then Wilder would surprise me with orchestration reminiscent of Respighi! I thoroughly enjoyed the contrast within and across the selections in this collection. There are 25 tracks on this CD, with none longer than 3½ minutes. Each track is a fresh morsel of purely American musical taste.

The solo performances are outstanding! The lyricism and free spirit brought to the fore by these musicians is inspiring. They all sounded completely at home with this music, totally effortless, with a tinge of witticism and charm! Very fresh indeed.

Honorable Mention goes to Sandra Clark: Not only did she play the heck out of the horn on this recording, she also produced it! I hope she has more projects like this in the works!

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This is a wonderful recording. The music and performances are top-notch. While the music of Wilder may not be widely known, and is not what you would call typical, it's extremely easy to enjoy. The warmth of the strings throughout the recording is so comfortable to the ears. Conductor Chelsea Tipton's tempi are perfect and the ensemble of the album is completely together at all times. Soloists Sandra Clark, Shannon Ford, Jocelyn Langworthy, Valrie Kantorski and Amy Heritage provide a common warmth and uniform approach to the often intricate passages of Wilder's works. I especially liked the relaxed sound of Clark's horn that makes even the most difficult of passages sound easy. Langworthy also makes her job sound easy and relaxed by handling the more melizmatic phrases with comfortable agility. This is a recording I enjoy listening to in the car or in the house whether I'm busy or focusing on the music. Bravo.