Shelly Basket

Sheldon “ Shelly” Basket (New York, 11.06. 1920 - Los Angeles, 26.09. 1984) was a Batteur and chief of American Orchestre . It is a legendary figure of the Jazz West Coast.

Biography

Born in a musician family, her father and his uncle are beaters. He studies the Saxophone viola before adopting the battery. He begins professionally on a transatlantic liner.

Of 1939 with 1942, it plays in many Big bands of which that of Benny the Goodman, most famous of America at the time, for a few days. Mobilized, he lives with New York and plays sides of Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Pettiford. In 1949, it is engaged in the full orchestra of Woody Hermann then in that of Stan Kenton (1950 - 1951). These two orchestras are among most influential of the time.

In 1952, it settles in California and plays " regularly; Lighthouse" of Hermosa Beach. It is essential quickly like a pillar of the Jazz West Coast, participant in very many recordings at the sides of Shorty Rogers, Jimmy Giuffre, Bud Shank… In 1953, it records its first album for the label Contemporary " The West Coast Sound " who will become the proclamation of this style. It reveals there its talents of leader.

In 1954, it records with Shorty Rogers and Jimmy Giuffre, without piano nor low, the revolutionist " The Three ". This disc is one of the first examples of Free jazz. It is followed by " The Two ", collection of duets piano-battery with Russ Freeman. It forms its " group; Shelly Basket & His Men" , a quintet to which of many large soloists of the Jazz West Coast belongwill belong, such Conte Candoli, Richie Kamuca, Leroy Vinnegar and Victor Feldman.

In 1956, it forms a trio " Shelly Basket & His Friends" with Andre Prévin (Piano) and Leroy Vinnegar (low). They know succées by taking again the topics of the musical comedy " My Fair Lady ". In 1957, it records with Sony Rollins and Ray Brown traditional the " Way Out West " and the same year the trio of the " forms; Winners" poll; with Barney Kessel and Ray Brown. He works in parallel for television and the cinema.

As of 1960, it creates its own club " The Shelly Manne' S Hole" and remains very active on the scene of the Jazz during years 1960 and 70.

He is also the type-setter of the main theme and the musics accompanying by the American televised series " Daktari " from 1966 to 1969, with the lion Clarence and the Judy chimpanzee.

He dies in 1984 of the continuations of an heart attack.

Style

Shelly Manne developed a single style of " battery mélodique". Admiror of OJ Jones and Dave Tough, it did not only see the rhythmic battery as one instrument but as an instrument which was to create melodies . He is influenced thus as much by the pianists than by the beaters. To explain its step, he stated:

" I do not develop the melodies using the rates/rhythms, I develop the rates/rhythms by thinking the melody. "

For Georges Paczynski, " he has an exceptional sound pallet, as well by the choice of the stamps as by the quality of the nuances." Hardly appreciating the noisy solos, it is distinguished particularly with the brushes and in research from felted sonority. He declared:

" Jouer gently, by giving a direction so that one plays, here what interests me. "

He can be regarded as one of the largest beaters of the history of the Jazz.

Partial discography

Sources

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