Bud Shank: Against the Tide

Hey, Bud is a great guy! I love his sax playing, and flute playing while he was doing it. Wished he'd recorded some clarinet stuff! Saw him several times in person as both a flute and sax performer. He explains his eye problem in the interviews and that is what made me a bit reluctant to approach and speak to him, and he also has a reserve that comes across as distant and cool... But the interviews show an openness and willingness to explain and reveal more of his inner self. Fantastic player, and I'm sorry he resents the title/moniker of "West Coast jazz player". There is definitely a certain sound from those guys that all began with Kenton and Howard Rumsey in the 1940s... Bud had a rewarding career and (apparently) no serious drug or alcohol challenges... The small group stuff is fun to watch! Wish they had more video of LA Four stuff....

If you're a saxophone player, you're going to like this one. If not, then you probably wouldn't be buying it to start with. Bud Shank was one of the first call saxophone players in the Hollywood studios from mid 50's to mid 70's, before going exclusively into jazz with various groups. A lot of fine playing, all newer things recorded for the movie, and iteresting life stories. Sadly, Bud passed away soon after this was finished.

This is a quite valuable look at a Jazz great. It is of very good video and audio quality. Bud Shank's long musical career is documented here quite well. His performance at an advanced age, does not show , he is great. With many old clips throughout his career only enhance the whole presentation. As with all of these type documentaries, They cut into the performances which I don't like. It is a common practice that I wish they would quit doing. It is so much better to watch performances all the way through without interruption, but that said, it is still a good addition to my Jazz collection.

An interesting overview of Buds musical life.It is handy to have a CD as well as the DVD so that the tunes can be listened to in the car or whilst working or even in the tub ! He looks a bit older now (like us all who followed him in his early days ) but his playing still sounds fresh. Get this one if you like the alto sax, Mike Claridge

At age 82 alto saxophonist Bud Shank is one of the true treasures of jazz music. His recent CD's on Jazzed Media reveal a musician whose expressive depth and personal sound keep growing and expanding. Jazzed Media's latest Bud Shank production "Against the Tide" (comprising a two hour DVD and a 60 minute CD) shows that Bud Shank is as expressive and passionate as ever, musically and verbally. His mental agility and memory for details is quite astounding.The DVD portion of the package is built around studio performances by Bud's current quartet (Mike Wofford, Bob Magnusson and Joe LaBarbera) and lengthy interview segments in which Bud speaks about his life and career. It is fascinating to watch the quartet making music together (the performances can be heard in full on the accompanying CD). Equally absorbing is Bud's recounting of his vast career from his boyhood in Ohio and student days in North Carolina, his switch from tenor to alto saxophone and flute, his move to the west coast and taking up a chair with Charlie Barnet's band in the late 40's, his subsequent two year stint as lead alto with both the Stan Kenton Innovations and dance Orchestras (and how he influenced the Kenton saxophone section sound), through the rest of the 50's when he jammed with Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars, enjoyed lengthy associations with Bob Cooper and Shorty Rogers, formed his own quartet, recorded extensively for Dick Bock and Pacific Jazz records, and explored Brazilian sounds with Laurindo Almeida. Bud's musical life in the 60's was chock-full of studio work including composing for films and further explorations of bossa nova rhythms with Clare Fischer. The successful LA 4 group of the 70's and early 80's was followed by Bud's decision to abandon flute for the alto saxophone and straight ahead jazz (plus annual jazz education workshops and festivals) which has continued unabated to the present day.In addition to the quartet music on the DVD there is live footage of Bud in performance at various stages of his career (including a masterful 1985 solo performance with the Royal Philharmonic) plus some insightful commentary by Dr. Herb Wong. Bud reveals that he has little time for the division between "West Coast" and "East Coast" jazz styles and it is true that Bud has always followed his own muse and can hold his own with the best musicians from any coast. "Against the Tide" is a most interesting and comprehensive look at Bud's significant career. The production values of the DVD are faultless.Besides the full quartet selections on the CD, we hear more excellent music from Bud's career, including "The Gift" - a 13 minute track by the Bill Holman big band from 2005 with Bud as featured soloist; two 1956 tracks with the Lighthouse All-Stars; a beautiful duo version with Bill Mays of "Warm Valley" from 2006; and perhaps most fascinating of all, a powerfully swinging 1965 performance by the Duke Ellington Orchestra featuring Bud on flute.The DVD or CD alone would be worth the price, but to have both together in a very reasonably priced package is the bargain of the year. "Against the Tide" is not only recommended to Bud Shank fans but to all who have an interest in the history of jazz music. This is beyond question one of the most important jazz releases of 2008.