Buddy Collette

Featuring: Buddy Collette, Bud Shank, Paul Horn (fl, a-fl, piccolo), Harry Klee (fl, a-fl, b-fl), Bill Miller, John T. Williams (p), Jim Hall (g), Red Mitchell, Joe Comfort (b), Bill Richmond, Shelly Manne, Earl Palmer (d)

This set is a veritable west coast flutist convention. A pastoral picnic with the Swinging Shepherds, led by Buddy Collettte’s frolicsome flute and built on a beat definitely not bucolic. Buddy, along with Bud Shank, Paul Horn, and Harry Klee, introduced a new concept: warm, woodsy sounds from four flutes and rhythm. Before this experience, flute in jazz had generally been utilized in solo context.

The arrival of the Swinging Shepherds, with their unique arrangements for a quartet of flutes, blowing freely and off-the-chart modern jazz as the mood dictated, proved it’s not the instrument, after all, that determines eligibility; it’s the player. The interplay between them as they switch to the various instruments in the flute family is remarkable.

The first album was further enlivened by the presence of the Nelson Riddle rhythm section, with Bill Miller on piano, Joe Comfort on bass, and Bill Richmond on drums. On the second, Miller shares the piano spot with John T. Williams, Shelly Manne and Earl Palmer alternate on drums, Red Mitchell is the bassist, and Jim Hall is added on guitar.

Overall, Collette’s Swinging Shepherds produced some beautiful sounds, as would be expected of such a gifted group of jazz musicians.


Tracklisting:

01. The Funky Shepherds (4:51) 02. Tasty Dish (4:19) 03. Improvisation (unaccompanied) (2:10) 04. The Four Winds Blow (3:35) 05. Pony Tale (4:28) 06. Machito (3:51) 07. Short Story (3:21) 08. Flute Diet (4:41) 09. Improvisation (with conga) (2:25) 10. The Shrike (3:24) 11. Laura (2:38) 12. Smile (3:06) 13. Invitation (3:52) 14. I Can’t Believe That You’re in Love with Me (2:42) 15. Intermezzo (3:27) 16. The Bad and the Beautiful (4:10) 17. Swinging on a Star (2:56) 18. Ruby (3:21) 19. The Trolley Song (1:54) 20. Colonel Bogey (3:29)
Total time: 69:17 min.

Arrangements by Buddy Collette, Bud Shank, Paul Horn & Pete Rugolo


Original LP sources:

Tracks #1-9, from the album "Buddy Collette and His Swinging Shepherds" (Mercury SR 80005).

Tracks #8-19, from the album "Buddy Collette and His Swinging Shepherds at the Cinema" (Mercury SR 60132).