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Monty Budwig

A very valuable bassist who on the West Coast was part of a countless number of recordings sessions, Monty Budwig could always be relied upon to swing a band, take melodic solos and play the perfect note for the right situation while being content to remain in the background.

Budwig played bass while in high school, gigged with Vido Musso in 1951 and then spent three years in the Air Force during which he had the opportunity to play in a military band. In 1954 he moved to Los Angeles where he eventually became a fixture in the studios and was greatly in demand for West Coast-style jazz groups.

Among Budwig's many musical experiences were playing with Barney Kessel, the Red Norvo Trio (1954-55), Zoot Sims, Woody Herman's Orchestra (1955-56), Shelly Manne, Shorty Rogers, Terry Gibbs, Benny Goodman, Carmen McRae, Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, the Lighthouse All Stars in the 1980's and Ellyn Rucker.

Although he appeared on many records (including a few dozen for the Concord label in the 1970's and 80's), Monty Budwig only led one record date of his own, 1978's Dig (for Concord) which included his wife Arlette McCoy on electric piano. Source: Scott Yanow

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15
Reassessing

Shelly Manne and His Men at the Black Hawk 1

Read "Shelly Manne and His Men at the Black Hawk 1" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


For many years, but certainly for most of the '50s and '60s, the top jazz drummer--by public opinion--was Shelly Manne. Although he was typically associated with West Coast Jazz, (a term he disliked), Manne had come West from jny:New York City in the '50s and settled in jny:Los Angeles in the halcyon days of the post-war boom. He was a guy of many parts; he raised horses, had married an ex-Rockette, and become part-owner of what was to become the ...

6
Album Review

Vince Guaraldi: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Music from the Soundtrack

Read "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Music from the Soundtrack" reviewed by Mark Sullivan


The 2018 release of this 1966 animated television special soundtrack made the music available for the first time. Pianist/composer Vince Guaraldi led a sextet (rather than his usual trio), resulting in richer-sounding, more complex arrangements. This is arguably the best expression of classic Peanuts music. But since the session tapes could not be found, the producers were forced to use the film soundtrack as the audio source. So, the recording quality was less than optimal, and some cues included sound ...

581
Album Review

Vince Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Christmas

Read "A Charlie Brown Christmas" reviewed by Florence Wetzel


Just in time for the holidays, Fantasy has released a remaster of the classic soundtrack A Charlie Brown Christmas. The cartoon follows Charlie Brown's search for the true meaning of Christmas, and Vince Guaraldi's music is an integral part of this perennial holiday favorite. Guaraldi, born in 1928 in San Francisco and died in 1976 while resting between sets at a club, was part of the flourishing '50s California scene which produced the movement known as West Coast jazz. The ...

300
Album Review

Vince Guaraldi: Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus

Read "Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus" reviewed by David Rickert


If Vince Guaraldi is known for anything beyond the Charlie Brown specials, it will be a catchy little tune called “Cast Your Fate in the Wind.” Originally the B-side to an abbreviated version of “Samba de Orfeu,” the instantly appealing tune became a radio hit and the album was repackaged to feature the song prominently on the sleeve (surprisingly, on this reissue the cover has been redesigned to eliminate the change).

1962's Black Orpheus (inspired by Antonio ...

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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Shelly Manne and His...

Craft Recordings
2024

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It's the Great...

Craft Recordings
2022

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A Charlie Brown...

Craft Recordings
2021

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It's the Great...

Craft Recordings
2018

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