The West Coast Sound

The West Coast Sound
Studio album by Shelly Manne & His Men
Released	1956
Recorded	April 6 and July 20, 1953 and September 13, 1955 Contemporary Records Studio, Los Angeles, California
Genre	Jazz
Length	36:18
Label	Contemporary C3507
Producer	Lester Koenig
Shelly Manne chronology
The Three and the Two (1954) The West Coast Sound (1956) Swinging Sounds (1956)

The West Coast Sound (subtitled Volume 1) is an album by drummer Shelly Manne's group Shelly Manne & His Men, recorded at sessions in 1953 and 1955 and released on the Contemporary label. The album features Manne's first recordings for Contemporary from 1953—eight tracks originally released on a 10-inch album—along with an additional four tracks from 1955.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow states: "the music has plenty of variety yet defines the era... Highly recommended and proof (if any is really needed) that West Coast jazz was far from bloodless".

Track listing

1. "Grasshopper" (Shelly Manne) - 2:52
2. "La Mucura" (Traditional) - 3:02
3. "Summer Night" (Harry Warren, Al Dubin) - 3:19
4. "Afrodesia" (Shorty Rogers) - 3:30
5. "You and the Night and the Music" (Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz) - 3:10
6. "Gazelle" (Bill Russo) - 3:01
7. "Sweets" (Russo) - 2:53
8. "Spring Is Here" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) - 2:43
9. "Mallets" (Shorty Rogers) - 3:26
10. "You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me" (Warren, Dubin) - 3:14
11. "You're My Thrill" (Burton Lane, Ned Washington) - 3:05
12. "Fugue" (Jimmy Giuffre) - 2:47

• Recorded at Contemporary's studio in Los Angeles on April 6, 1953 (tracks 2, 5, 6 & 9), July 20, 1953 (tracks 4, 7, 11 & 12), and September 13, 1955 (tracks 1, 3, 8 & 10).

Personnel

• Shelly Manne - drums
• Bob Enevoldsen - valve trombone
• Joe Maini (tracks 1, 3, 8 & 10), Art Pepper (tracks 2, 5, 6 & 9), Bud Shank (tracks 4, 7, 11 & 12) - alto saxophone
• Bob Cooper (tracks 2, 4-7, 9, 11 & 12), Bill Holman (tracks 1, 3, 8 & 10) - tenor saxophone
• Jimmy Giuffre - baritone saxophone
• Russ Freeman (tracks 1, 3, 8 & 10), Marty Paich (tracks 2, 4-7, 9, 11 & 12) - piano
• Curtis Counce (tracks 2, 5, 6 & 9), Joe Mondragon (tracks 4, 7, 11 & 12), Ralph Peña (tracks 1, 3, 8 & 10) - bass
• Arrangements by Bob Enevoldsen (track 10), Jimmy Giuffre (track 12), Bill Holman (tracks 1 & 8), Marty Paich (tracks 3 & 11), Shorty Rogers (tracks 2, 4 & 9) and Bill Russo (tracks 5-7)