Excellent jazz from the ongoing Contemporary/Craft reissue series, here highlighting one of the leading figures of West Coast jazz, drummer Shelly Manne, with a trumpet/tenor saxophone lineup more associated with the East Coast of the period. The difference here is the laid-back, comfortably in-the-pocket jazz touch of five men on the bandstand playing as much for themselves as the Blackhawk audience. Contemporary originally released four volumes taken from Manne’s September live date (subsequently released on CD by American Jazz Classics as a box set) claiming it was the entirety of the material recorded, but in 1991 Fantasy/Contemporary came up with six previously unissued tracks, released as Volume 5 of the Blackhawk set.

Back in 1959, such was the quality of this music, Lester Koenig rush-released all four volumes within months of each other – and during the lifetime of this band. The Joe Gordon and Richie Kamuca frontline will be unfamiliar to many more versed in Blue Note/Prestige jazz of the period, but anonymity has never been an impediment to creativity, and throughout their essentially melodically-based (rather than pattern-based) improvisations and beguiling (dictionary definition: enchanting in a deceptive way) lines hook the listener. Then there is the talent of Londoner Victor Feldman, then making his way on the West Coast after debuting on Contemporary in a trio with Scott LaFaro and Stan Levey.

Feldman’s talent was too big for London, his playing in the USA even had Miles Davis record with him and offered him the piano chair in his band, and here matches the mood of the moment sublimely.