Shelly Manne's Men were to the West Coast what Art Blakey's Messengers were to the East Coast – the toughest gang in town. That said, I believe this is the second time I have received this must-have four CD set for review and my opinion hasn't changed from the time I awarded it five stars. Live albums can expose a band's shortcomings but, as many location recordings by Miles, The Messengers, Monk, Bill Evans and Coltrane confirm, it can also reveal its inner strengths before live audiences. And this delivers on all counts. As with so many bands, changes in personnel can be commonplace and for this genuinely breathtaking set, Manne fielded the slightly lesser known frontline of two highly inventive locals – Joe Gordon (trumpet) and Richie Kamuca (tenor sax). The rest of the unit, featured ever-reliable Monty Budwig (bass) and the great Victor Feldman, who not only subbed for regular pianist Russ Freeman but brought along a couple of his fine originals – ‘Eclipse Of Spain’ and ‘Pullin' Strings’. Just to further affirm his hard bop credentials, Shelly's Men also turned in sterling readings of Benny Golson's ‘Whisper Not’ and ‘Step Lightly’, Roland Alexander's ‘Cabu’ and a lesser known Horace Silver tune ‘How Deep Are The Roots’. Meanwhile, Manne's superb drumming demonstrates throughout that (excuse the pun), he's definitely The Man!