For me, these four volumes by Shelly Manne, recorded live at The Black Hawk nightclub in San Francisco between the 22nd and the 24th of September 1959, are among the absolute best jazz albums ever released. It’s so beautifully recorded and the performances of all five musicians individually and collectively are stunning. Jazz is an art form best experienced live in my opinion, and here we get a glimpse of what it was like to sit there at a table and soak all this magic in. Good lord, I wish I could have been there and experience these five cats performing at the top of their game.
It’s Manne on drums, Richie Kamuca on tenor sax, Joe Gordon on trumpet, Victor Feldman on piano and Monty Budwig on double bass. Wonderful group, one of the very best of the era. I feel it cannot be overstated how great these players were. And the music is to die for. All the tunes are exceptional and played with such posture and feeling. It’s amazing how tight this band was.
I was lucky beyond belief in finding all four volumes for sale as a complete set a few weeks back. And you really need all four to be completely satisfied, at least that’s what I think.
If you haven’t heard this music, or you have but haven’t got the albums, search high and low for these. Make it a top priority. You won’t be sorry, I promise. They can be had for a very reasonable price as well, which is key.
These albums will have a very special place in my collection. I will cherish them forever.