Book123

    Free register and download UseNet downloader, then you can FREE Download from UseNet.

    Download without Limit " Lyrics & Music Shelly Manne & Friends - My Fair Lady (1956) " from UseNet for FREE!

More

Shelly Manne & Friends - My Fair Lady (1956)

& 8220;

This trio set by Shelly Manne & His Friends (consisting of the drummer/leader, pianist Andre Previn, and bassist Leroy Vinnegar) was a surprise best-seller and is now considered a classic. Previn (who is really the main voice) leads the group through eight themes from the famous play, including "Get Me to the Church on Time," "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," "I Could Have Danced All Night," and "On the Street Where You Live." A very appealing set that is easily recommended. Scott Yanow

& 8221;

Track Listings

1. Get Me to the Church on Time

2. On the Street Where You Live

3. I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face

4. Wouldn't It Be Loverly?

5. Ascot Gavotte

6. Show Me

7. With a Little Bit of Luck

8. I Could Have Danced All Night

D/L Link:

Buy It at Lowest Price on Amazon

While jazz musicians had long drawn an essential portion of their repertoire from the Broadway stage, this jazz version of Lerner and Loewe's My Fair Lady was something new in 1956. Drummer Shelly Manne leads a trio with pianist Andre Previn and bassist Leroy Vinnegar here, and they bring a lightly sophisticated touch to the material, which had debuted just a few months before the recording. It's a testament to the quality of score and players alike that the tunes already feel like standards in their hands, both in the arrangements and in the solos. "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" is the shimmering ballad that one might expect, but the trio applies a similar approach with almost equally successful results to the unlikely "With a Little Bit of Luck." Tempos are pushed toward the bop dimension for "Ascot Gavotte" and "Danced All Night," and Previn acquits himself well, generating imaginative lines. Vinnegar is a rock-solid timekeeper, while Manne provides brisk brush work, a lively beat, and creative accents. He's not obtrusive, but Manne's superb drumming is a focal point in this trio, highlighted by the 20-bit K2 super coding. --Stuart Broomer

For those of a certain age "My Fair Lady" was the definition of popular musical theatre. During it's heyday on stage and film a number of jazz ensembles added individual MFL tunes to their repetoire and a dozen or more jazz LP's covered the entire Lerner & Loewe score. (The Verve LP "Oscar Peterson Plays My Fair Lady" ranks at the very top.)

One of the best is still with us and has been gloriously remastered with the K2 20bit process. These cuts sound like they were recorded last week rather than almost 50 years ago. While Shelly Manne (who, along with bassist Leroy Vinnegar, was THE rhythm of the "West Coast Sound") is one of my favorite drummers he often "takes charge" of his groups, which is fine in his horn based quarts and quints but he can overpower a trio with ease. Here he wisely dials it back a notch or two allowing Andre Previn and Leroy Vinnegar to investigate and develop some of the most beautiful music to ever enter the American (English?) Songbook.Previn, in particular, seem to be at home with this material. His tempo and harmonic interplay breath life and vitality into tunes that were pop hits of their day. While everyone's favorite will likely be the beautiful "On the Street Where You Live", my personal pick is the haunting and lovely "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face" which Previn handles better than anyone (including the aforementioned Oscar Peterson).

The ensuing album is a true classic that has withstood the test of time. Besides being a stunning take on what many consider to be the twentieth century's finest example of musical theatre (OK, that's my opinion) it is also a testament to mid century "modern jazz" before that term became perjorative.

Buy this CD, it's timeless.

Amazon Customer Comment

Rating:
2.5 out of 5 by Book123