Shelly Manne

Shelly Manne (June 11 1920–September 26 1984), born Sheldon Manne in New York, New York, was an American jazz drummer. He was frequently associated with West Coast Jazz, but his broad range of contributions to music, not only jazz, showed that he could not be readily pigeonholed.

Film and television

In addition to performing live and in studio recordings with these vocalists and with innumerable jazz instrumentalists, including his own small groups, from the 1950s through the early 1980s, Manne contributed his percussive effects to the soundtracks of literally hundreds of films and television programs. Many were obscure, others were scored by well-known composers like André Previn, Quincy Jones, Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein, Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams — the list, like that of the jazz musicians he performed with, goes on and on.

Related Topics:
1980s - Quincy Jones - Henry Mancini - Elmer Bernstein - Jerry Goldsmith - John Williams

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By this means, Manne's drumming became an integral part of the musical background of the popular culture of several decades, and made its way into the ears and hearts of thousands who would never recognize his name. Occasionally, he composed his own music for television (e.g., Daktari, 1966–1969), and the films (Young Billy Young, 1969).

Related Topics:
Daktari - 1966 - 1969 - Young Billy Young

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A star in Stan Kenton's famous orchestra in the 1940s and 1950s, as well as that of Woody Herman, also in the 1940s, and winner of numerous awards, Manne slipped from public view as jazz became less central in popular music. After a stint as part owner of a nightclub in the 1960s and early 1970s in Los Angeles, Manne refocused his attention on his own drumming. It might be argued that he never played with more taste, refinement, and soulful swing than in the 1970s, when he recorded numerous albums with musicians like Red Rodney, Art Pepper, Oliver Nelson, Lew Tabackin, Bud Shank, Hank Jones, and his own groups.

Related Topics:
Woody Herman - 1970s - Red Rodney - Art Pepper - Oliver Nelson - Lew Tabackin - Bud Shank - Hank Jones

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In the 1980s, Manne continued to record with such stars as Harry "Sweets" Edison, Zoot Sims, Joe Pass, John Lewis (for decades famous as the musical director and pianist for the Modern Jazz Quartet), and Herb Ellis.

Related Topics:
1980s - Joe Pass - Modern Jazz Quartet - Herb Ellis

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Meanwhile, he continued to record with his own groups. Of these, just one representative example is a live concert recorded at the Los Angeles club "Carmelo's" in 1980 with pianists Bill Mays and Alan Broadbent and bassist Chuck Domanico. With their enthusiasm and spontaneity, and the sense that the audience in the intimate ambience of the club is participating in the music, these performances share the characteristics that had been celebrated more than two decades before in the better-known Black Hawk performances. Although this phase of his career has frequently been overlooked, Manne, by this time, had greatly refined his ability to back other musicians sympathetically, yet make his own musical thoughts clearly heard.

Related Topics:
1980 - Bill Mays - Alan Broadbent - Chuck Domanico

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Manne was sometimes underrated as a serious jazz musician because of his heavy load of Hollywood studio work. Even in lackluster films, he nevertheless often succeeded in making art of what might be called hackwork. Still, for all his tireless work in the studios, Manne's labor of love was his contribution to jazz as an American art form, to which he had dedicated himself since his youth and continued to work at almost to the last day of his life.

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Manne died somewhat before the popular revival of interest in jazz had gained momentum. But shortly before his death in Los Angeles in 1984, his immense contribution to the music regained some recognition at least locally. In his last few years, Manne became effectively the King of Jazz in California. Two weeks before his sudden death of a heart attack, he was honored by the City of Los Angeles in conjunction with the Hollywood Arts Council when September 9 1984 was declared "Shelly Manne Day."

Related Topics:
1984 - September 9

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