Manne, Shelly & His Friends: My Fair Lady (Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds) LP

One of the most prolifically recorded drummers in jazz history, the versatile Shelly Manne was another pillar of the Contemporary fold who elevated every project he worked on. With equal parts force and finesse, he powered some of the era's most exciting hard bop sessions, though his bands tend to be overlooked today because his players didn't go on to wider fame, à la Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. But Manne's muscular trap work made his L.A.-based bands consistently compelling, particularly when they stretched out in a nightclub.  Shelly Manne & Friends' My Fair Lady is the first album to ever consist of jazz versions of songs from just a single Broadway musical. First released in 1956 and recorded by legendary engineer Roy DuNann, this new edition features all-analog mastering from the original tapes by Bernie Grundman. The record is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP and presented in a Stoughton Old Style Tip-On Jacket.