Conte Candoli, Carl Fontana, Teddy Edwards, Pete Jolly, Chuck Berghofer, Joe LaBarbera. Do these names ring any bells? If not, look elsewhere as these West Coast giants gathered for a magnificent concert at JazzOpen Stuttgart in 2001 to show the world what separates the men from the boys.
Sadly, not one of the elder members of this great outfit is any longer with us, reason enough to cherish these moments even more. Opening number, Miles' "Four".
Time for THE classic West Coast Mike Stoller - Bernie Miller composition, "Bernie's Tune".
Conte Candoli's beautiful, latin-tinged "Secret Passion".
This is E. Harburg's "If Only I Had A Brain" which aptly describes me and this internet jazz crusade of mine, featuring a show-stopper trombone solo by Carl Fontana showing that he belongs up there with Frank Rosolino and J.J. Johnson.
This is Teddy Edwards' nod to the blues and former Stan Kenton bassist Howard Rumsey,leader of great West Coast outfit The Lighthouse All Stars. The whole band really shines here.
This last number is Roger Ramirez's famous ballad "Lover Man" rendered here in an exemplary manner by Teddy Edwards, one of the greatest tenors ever who was 77 at the time this concert took place.
Sol Schlinger, Baritone Sax Extraordinaire
1 year ago
