Art Pepper 1957

This recording brings back an obscure session from the long defunct Andex label that was probably recorded around 1956. The emphasis is on Latin jazz with altoist Art Pepper, trumpeter Conte Candoli, tenor saxophonist Bill Perkins, pianist Russ Freeman, bassist Ben Tucker, and drummer Chuck Flores interacting with the percussion of Jack Costanza and Mike Pacheko. With arrangements by Bill Holman, Johnny Mandel, Benny Carter, and Pepper, the music is quite jazz-oriented if a touch lightweight. Worth investigating by fans of the idiom.

Released on the small Tampa label, this album features the great altoist Art Pepper with pianist Russ Freeman, bassist Ben Tucker, and drummer Gary Frommer. The quality of the music here is high, if brief - even with his erratic lifestyle, Pepper never made a bad record. Highlights include the Pepper original "Diane," "Besame Mucho," and "Pepper Pot." Fine music, but not essential when one considers how many gems Art Pepper recorded during his rather hectic life.

By the time of this, Art Pepper's tenth recording as a leader, he was making his individual voice on the alto saxophone leave the cozy confines of his heroes Charlie Parker and Lee Konitz. Joining the Miles Davis rhythm section of pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones made the transformation all that more illuminating. It's a classic east meets west, cool plus hot but never lukewarm combination that provides many bright moments for the quartet during this exceptional date from that great year in music, 1957…

As a sort of follow-up to Art Pepper's matchup with Miles Davis' trio in the 1957 classic Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section, Pepper utilizes Davis' sidemen on this 1960 near-classic. In addition to pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb, trumpeter Conte Candoli makes the group a quintet on four of the eight numbers. This time around, rather than emphasizing standards, Pepper performs just three ("Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," Thelonious Monk's "Rhythm-A-Ning," and "The Way You Look Tonight") and includes three originals of his own: "Diane," "Bijou the Poodle," and "Gettin' Together." The music is all very straight-ahead and bop-oriented, but as usual, Pepper brings something very personal and unique to his playing; he sounds like no one else.

Picture of Heath (also known as Playboys was the best collaboration ever by two of the greatest jazz masters of all time: trumpeter Chet Baker and alto saxophonist Art Pepper. This set presents the complete album, along with, as a bonus, seven tracks from a previous session fronted by both stars.