ART PEPPER レコード& CD

Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks ***


Art Pepper was regarded as one of the world's greatest alto-sax players by the time of his death in 1982. This album, Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section, is widely regarded as one of his finest works, although legend has it he was only informed about the session the morning of recording and arrived unprepared. He was playing with a strong band - at the time they were Miles Davis' rhythm section no less. Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums, and Art Pepper out front giving his all on a sax that was reportedly in bad shape. Such scenes are iconic music made of.

Review: Art Pepper was regarded as one of the world's greatest alto-sax players by the time of his death in 1982. This album, Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section, is widely regarded as one of his finest works, although legend has it he was only informed about the session the morning of recording and arrived unprepared. He was playing with a strong band - at the time they were Miles Davis' rhythm section no less. Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums, and Art Pepper out front giving his all on a sax that was reportedly in bad shape. Such scenes are iconic music made of.

Review: There are few finer alto-sax players in the world than Art Pepper. By the time of his death run 1982 his legacy was already assured after a fantastic run of albums such as his standout Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section. Plus 11 is right up there too, though: the 1960 jazz record saw Art work with an ensemble of 11 other musicians arranged by Marty Paich. It's one of a number dates the two played together that year but the only one with Pepper leading. Pepper's clarinet performance on 'Anthropology' and the alternate takes of 'Walkin'' are real standouts.

Review: Jazz could bait controversy with a sense of mischief even back in the 50s, as Chet Baker and Art Pepper demonstrated when they released the pin-up sporting Playboys in 1957 with tracks like 'For Minors Only'. Of course, Hugh Hefner had something to say about that and so the album was reissued as Picture Of Heath in 1961, and it remains a marvellous entry in the discographies of these two jazz masters. As such, Blue Note turned back to this record for their Tone Poet series, as Baker's trumpet and Pepper's alto sax interact with Phil Urso's tenor sax, Curtis Counce's bass, Carl Perkins' piano and Lawrence Marable's drums. It's an all-time great sounding better than ever on this edition.