Contemporary Jazz Records Available Now
Reviews and Commentaries for Contemporary Jazz
One of Previn’s best piano trio records, this album was recorded in 1959 by Roy DuNann while at the height of his engineering powers.
The two Must Owns from his many sessions at Contemporary are this album and Bells Are Ringing. We are not aware of any of his jazz piano albums on other labels being much better than passable and most are not worth picking up at any price. Believe me, we’ve tried. The one exception I can think of is Four to Go on Columbia. It’s pretty good. Not in the same league as his Contemporary recordings by a long shot, but better than most of his output from the ’60s.
The Piano Is Key
On the best copies of the album, the sound of the piano is solid, full-bodied, with both weight and warmth, just like the real thing. The copies of the album with a piano that sounded lean or hard always ended up having problems with the other instruments as well. (This should not be surprising; the piano was designed to be the single instrument most capable of reproducing the sound of an entire orchestra.)
Players and Personnel
- Bass – Red Mitchell
- Drums – Shelly Manne
- Piano – André Previn
- Producer, Liner Notes – Lester Koenig
- Recorded By – Roy DuNann
Side One
Something’s Coming
Jet Song
Tonight
I Feel Pretty
Side Two
Gee, Officer Krupke!
Cool
Maria
America
AMG 4 Star Review
The last of a series of showtune albums recorded by the trio of pianist Andre Previn, bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Shelly Manne finds the all-star group focusing on the music of West Side Story (Previn and Manne alternated leadership, and it was the drummer’s good fortune to have the famous My Fair Lady album under his own name).
As usual, the melodies are treated respectfully yet swingingly, and Andre Previn in particular excels in this setting. Recommended.