Jazz Shots from the West Coast, Vol. 1.(Brief article)(Video recording review)

Jazz Shots from the West Coast, Vol. 1. DVD. [Andorra]: EFOR Films, 2006. 2869055NT. $19.95.

Jazz, America's unique art form, needs the appropriate atmosphere for performance, some might claim even for listening. Like hip-hop, it has fashioned a world of its own--own language, own clothing, and own clubs--to keep insiders in and outsiders out. Creating the correct atmosphere can almost be as important as the music itself. In spite of video and sound limitations, the (mostly) black and white club, television, and festival concert performances presented in Jazz Shots from the West Coast demonstrate what high-definition widescreen color and smoke-free clubs cannot. Jazz appeals to all of the senses, not just to the ears.

Jazz Shots from the West Coast is one part of a three-volume series in addition to the three-volume Jazz Shots from the East Coast. EFOR Films has separated the artists into the coasts where they mostly performed and recorded. It is arguable that such differences are minimal and convenient, but not beneficial. Tradition implies the West Coast jazz sound is smooth post-bop, post-cool, when compared to the East Coast. These are subjective descriptions and observations. Chet Baker, here in one of the few ...