Grand Encounter

Grand Encounter (subtitled 2° East / 3° West) is an album by pianist and composer John Lewis with saxophonist Bill Perkins, guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Chico Hamilton recorded for the Pacific Jazz label in 1956.[1][2] The subtitle refers to the groups mix of East Coast (Lewis and Heath) and West Coast (Perkins, Hall and Hamiton) musicians.

Grand Encounter
Studio album by John Lewis
Released	1957
Recorded	February 10, 1956 Los Angeles, CA
Genre	Jazz
Length	34:41
Label	Pacific Jazz PJ-1217
Producer	Richard Bock
John Lewis chronology
The Modern Jazz Society Presents a Concert of Contemporary Music (1955) Grand Encounter (1957) Afternoon in Paris (1957)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[3]

Allmusic awarded the album 5 stars stating "this classic session is the ultimate in cool jazz".[3]

Track listing

1. "Love Me or Leave Me" (Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn) - 8:18
2. "I Can't Get Started" (Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin) - 3:31
3. "Easy Living" (Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin) - 4:13
4. "Two Degrees East - Three Degrees West" (John Lewis) - 6:07
5. "Skylark" (Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer) - 3:06
6. "Almost Like Being in Love" (Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner) - 9:26

Personnel

• John Lewis - piano
• Bill Perkins - tenor saxophone
• Jim Hall - guitar
• Percy Heath - bass
• Chico Hamilton - drums

References

1. Pacific Jazz Records Catalog: 1200 series accessed September 11, 2015
2. Edwards, D., Eyries, P. and Callahan, M. Pacific Jazz/Pacifica Album Discography accessed September 11, 2015
3. Yanow, Scott. Grand Encounter: 2 Degrees East-3 Degrees West – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved September 11, 2015.