Jazz for aficionados

Frogman, it's delight to have you on this thread, not only are you a jazz aficionado, but you're a musician as well. Although I never thought about West Coast from a musical perspective (the softer tone) that's quite accurate.

West coast jazz had a relatively short life span. Although the musicians lived on, West Coast was dead after 65, while the very same musicians evolved into other forms of jazz. The very best jazz from this genre would be in the 50's. This means that although you have the same West Coast musicians after the 50's, they may, or may not still be playing "West Coast" jazz.

Enjoy the music.

Rok, even though you're prone to take things out of context, I like you anyway; but if there was one big "Bird", and a lot of little birds imitating big "Bird", that was too many birds. In regard to "Birds" stature, that's unquestionable.

Many of the "Boppers" just weren't cool enough to understand "West Coast". It was like LA, laid back and in a hurry to get nowhere. This music was best appreciated in a coffee house where they recited poetry and the chicks wore leotards, "Can you dig it"?

Enjoy the music.

To be clear I enjoy the west coast jazz genre very much, it just has a different feel from the harder edged east coast bop approach.I have lots of both.Idon't believe the west musicians were inferior to the east boppers, but will admit often the east style is more complex and in somes instances more ambitious. I can listen to Harold Land, Teddy Edwards or Richie kumuka or switch to Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt and Joe Henderson.I can really appreciate what they all play in their own way. Same with trumpeters Jack sheldon (underrated chops) or Fats Navarro, very different, I like them both.Pepper Adams or Gerry Mulligan? I can listen to either all day.I appreciate and respect the uniqueness of these beautiful musicians and am less incline to argue who's better than who.I wish I could play 10% as well as any of them.I'm happy to have their recordings and a system to play them.
Regards,

Thank you Art Pepper for mentioning Lester Young.The single biggest influence on the evolution of Bird's style.
These were the records these musicians of this generation were listening to...Count Basie..."Lester leaps in" "Taxi war dance" "Tickle toe" the list goes on.There was a whole generation of saxophonists who nursed that approach to improvisation {Stan Getz}and there was another,later generation of players that followed Coleman Hawkins' more forceful and direct approach-John Coltrane.Then there was another that combined the two-Dexter Gordon/Gene Ammons.
Don't forget the impact of Ben Webster during the glorious Ellington late 30's,his influence on the concept of ballad playing is undeniable.Prez,Hawk,Ben all played their best music before the Bebop era and each grappled with their own private adaptation of what became the norm in Jazz.This all has to be considered in the mix.
Whatever Pepper says,everytime he picked up his horn and played one of those way uptempo tunes like "straight life" or something based on "Cherokee" he was gunning for Bird.That was the highest mark of the state of the art and the competition was fierce.That is simply the nature of the beast.Also by 1952 when Pepper was coming well into his own Parker was finished and all bets were off on who was the best.But who cares really? They were all great and amazing and thrilling and each had something special to bring.Some more than others.One of Lester Young's little sayings was "You can't join the throng until you write your own song".I leave you with that.

Charles1dad, and THAT is what it is all about. Well said! I would only add that complexity does not necessarily "better" make. There is great beauty in simplicity, subtlety and elegance:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd3AD5484U4&feature=related