AMG Review of Compact Jazz: Stan Getz

Stephen Cook
All Music Guide

Although editions of Verve's Compact Jazz series can be misguided, they at least offer curious listeners a fairly good budget introduction to some of jazz's biggest figures. This time out, Stan Getz is on tap with many of his biggest sides from the '60s. Erring heavily on the bossa nova end of things, the 12-track set includes his most popular cut, "Girl From Ipanema" (featuring Astrud Gilberto), as well as other samba gems like "Desafinado," "O Pato (The Duck)," and "Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)." The rest is taken up by ballads -- never a bad thing, especially since Getz cut some of the best. A more balanced program would have helped (some bop and later material, maybe), but for the price, this still makes for some high-end listening.