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Review by willyevans October 18, 2003 (6 of 6 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics: |
This session recorded on March 7, 1957 shows Sonny Rollins, Ray Brown and Shelly Manne in top form. Most people single out Saxophone Colossus as Rollins' best work, but Way Out West holds a special place in my heart. There is an uncanny empathy between these three musicians that is truly astounding. Especially when you consider that this was the first time these three had recorded together.
The sound quality is truly astounding. Recording engineer Roy DuNann was a true genius. The sound he gets on tape from these three musical greats is so clear and lifelike you would swear they were playing right there in your living room. Analogue Productions has done it again. Another wonderful sounding hybrid SACD. Even the CD layer sounds better than the XRCD version.
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Review by Barb October 18, 2007 (3 of 3 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
S. Rollins ts, R. Brown b, s. Manne dr, Contemporary 1957
Listening to this disc always starts with a grin on my face at the kidding, humorous opening of I´m an Old Cowhand. Smiling continues till the last note of the last track because there are three masters at play. There is not much left to say about that jazz classic that every tenor-fan will love and I am not an experienced a critic to add competent comments. I just want to say that it is pure fun and pleasure to listen to this music with that typical nostalgic, pleasing sound of the 50`s that I like more than some of the modern over-engineered multi-tracks recorded in five different studios resulting in a completely synthetic sound. It may not reach today`s audiophile standards but it is big fun to listen to and that`s the point.
There are three alternate takes on the disk, one of them the 10 minute breathtaking up-tempo version of I`m an Old Cowhand, almost twice as long as the original LP-take with extended bass and drum solos. I think, they didn`t use this one on the original LP just because of the limited format space.
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Review by clef August 18, 2006 (3 of 3 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
Way Out West, recorded in 1957, is a super album cut for the small, California-based Contemporary label. Although a consummate sideman, Rollins rarely seems at ease with his pianists on his own dates, and Way Out West's trio format, with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Shelly Manne, dispenses with that problem. This is a remarkably confident album: relaxed, swinging, thoughtful and deeply satisfying.
Rollins is in good form, still a relativly unknown tenor when this album came out, he plays like a man ahead of his years. Rollins tone is hard, percussive, rasping, and even playful, a full spectrum of colors and moods. What makes this a truly great album is that every single note Rollins plays is a highlight. This SACD is packed with timeless music and a great sound quality.
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