SHELLY MANNE: 234

Performer: Shelly Manne, drums; Coleman Hawkins, saxophone; Hank Jones, piano; George Duvivier, double bass; Eddy Costa, piano and vibraphone
Artist: Shelly Manne
Number of discs: 1
Barcode: 0199957085106
Label: Analogue Productions
Format: LP
Genre: Jazz
Year: 2026
Reference: ASLPIMP40307
Available from: 2026-08-01

With 2, 3, 4, renowned drummer and bandleader Shelly Manne brings together a quartet characterised by rare chemistry and considerable authority. Featuring Coleman Hawkins’ imposing tenor saxophone, Hank Jones’ elegant touch and George Duvivier’s solid foundations, this session is a true masterclass in interaction, restraint and musical dialogue.

Hawkins, one of the true architects of the modern tenor saxophone, contributes a warm and authoritative sound, while Jones’ piano lines shine with clarity and grace. Providing the foundation for it all, Duvivier’s double bass supports the group with unfailing precision.

At the centre is Manne, whose drumming is the very definition of taste and control. Rather than dominating, he shapes and guides the music, adding colour through subtle textures, crisp accents and an unwavering sense of time. 2, 3, 4 stands as a testament to the beauty of collaboration at the highest level.

Shelly Manne (1920–1984) was undoubtedly one of the most important white drummers in the history of jazz, possessing a distinctive, recognisable and highly refined sound that gave his instrument an unexpected “melodic” quality, allowing it to go beyond the traditional role of keeping time.

Although he emerged from the West Coast Jazz school — despite actually being a native of New York — Manne never confined himself to a single stylistic field throughout his career. He explored virtually every style of jazz and accumulated a wide range of experiences, from his early work accompanying Coleman Hawkins’ recordings and serving as drummer for the Woody Herman and Stan Kenton orchestras in the 1940s, to his later experiments combining jazz and rock through the use of electronics, working with musicians from the free and post-free generations who were partly influenced by rock.

Along the way, he embraced bebop and contributed to landmark recordings by artists such as Sonny Rollins on Way Out West and Ornette Coleman on Tomorrow Is The Question. Certainly one of the most important and musical drummers of his generation, Manne deserves to be considered alongside the great African-American drummers in jazz history. His extensive and varied discography deserves to be rediscovered today.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Take The "A" Train
2. The Sicks Of Us
3. Slowly

Side B

1. Lean On Me
2. Cherokee
3. Me And Some Drums