Art Pepper Recommendations
Steve LeBlanc
Hey! I just finished reading Art Peppers biography, Straight-Life....
wow.... what a story, sad, that junk.... so many great jazz musicians
ruined their lifes with drugs..
So, anyway, he left a legacy of good jazz...can anyone advice on the
better
recordings to add to my collection?
Thanks,
Steve LeBlanc
r...@tiac.net
Ashby Ma.
Lee M. Cohen
Steve LeBlanc wrote:
>
> Hey! I just finished reading Art Peppers biography, Straight-Life....
> recordings to add to my collection?
>
> Thanks,
>
I have more than 100 Art Pepper CDs. I recommend:
50s/60s
MODERN ART (Capitol/Blue Note) (Best of the Omega tapes)
PLUS ELEVEN (Fantasy/Contemporary) (Every player in LA for this date)
SMACK UP (Fantasy/Contemporary) (w/Jack Sheldon at his best)
---
70s/80s
GOING HOME (Fantasy/Galaxy) (Duo with George Cables, Art on Clarinet)
WINTER MOON (Fantasy/Galaxy) (Strings)
STRAIGHT LIFE (Fantasy/Galaxy) (Tommy Flanagan, Red Mitchell, Billy
Higgins)
---
I've left out MEETS THE RHYTHM SECTION which was given a 5 STAR rating
in DownBeat and is most often considered Art at his best. I don't think
so.
A bit of trivia, the women who gives Art his first taste of smack is not
mentioned by name in the book, but it was Anita O'Day who was with Art
in the Kenton band.
Also, the great mythical story he tells about MEETING THE MILES DAVIS
RHYTHM section, the one where he states that he hadn't played for
months, is untrue. He was gigging and recording regularly at the time of
this recording, as evidenced by the discography at the end of the book.
MODERN ART, VAL'S PAL, and other dates were done just days before MEETS
THE RHYTHM SECTION.
Cheers!
Lee
James Bunnell
"Lee M. Cohen" <LMCohen@NOSPAM_Jazznet.com> wrote:
>A bit of trivia, the women who gives Art his first taste of smack is not
>mentioned by name in the book, but it was Anita O'Day who was with Art
>in the Kenton band.
I'm finally reading "Straight Life" just now. Actually, Pepper calls
her Sheila Harris, "...a good singer who worked with another band."
So this is a pseudonym?
Speaking of which, who was "Sammy Curtis," the Kenton band member whom
Pepper suspected of turning him in?
Jim
jbun...@aros.net - www.aros.net/~jbunnell
い Salt Lake City, the basketball capital of
the world: Congratulations, Utes! Go Jazz! い
David Berk
Lee M. Cohen wrote:
>
> Steve LeBlanc wrote:
> >
> > Hey! I just finished reading Art Peppers biography, Straight-Life....
>
> > recordings to add to my collection?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
>
> I have more than 100 Art Pepper CDs. I recommend:
>
> 50s/60s
> MODERN ART (Capitol/Blue Note) (Best of the Omega tapes)
> PLUS ELEVEN (Fantasy/Contemporary) (Every player in LA for this date)
> SMACK UP (Fantasy/Contemporary) (w/Jack Sheldon at his best)
> ---
> 70s/80s
> GOING HOME (Fantasy/Galaxy) (Duo with George Cables, Art on Clarinet)
> WINTER MOON (Fantasy/Galaxy) (Strings)
> STRAIGHT LIFE (Fantasy/Galaxy) (Tommy Flanagan, Red Mitchell, Billy
> Higgins)
>
> ---
>
> I've left out MEETS THE RHYTHM SECTION which was given a 5 STAR rating
> in DownBeat and is most often considered Art at his best. I don't think
> so.
>
> mentioned by name in the book, but it was Anita O'Day who was with Art
> in the Kenton band.
>
> RHYTHM section, the one where he states that he hadn't played for
> months, is untrue. He was gigging and recording regularly at the time of
> this recording, as evidenced by the discography at the end of the book.
> MODERN ART, VAL'S PAL, and other dates were done just days before MEETS
> THE RHYTHM SECTION.
>
> Cheers!
> Lee
Stan---especially the Holman/Russo arrangements on Capitol &/or Mosaic.
what's your opinion of these "gems?" They are amongst my personal
favorites. Dave
pschel...@access.ch
In article <3541744A...@tiac.net>,
Steve LeBlanc <r...@tiac.net> wrote:
>
> Hey! I just finished reading Art Peppers biography, Straight-Life....
> ruined their lifes with drugs..
>
> So, anyway, he left a legacy of good jazz...can anyone advice on the
> better
>
> Thanks,
>
Ronnie Ball, plus several quartet recordings with the absolut highlight
"Autumn Leaves".
Peter
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Jerry Prather
After reading the Art Pepper recommendations, I went out and bought SMACK UP.
This is a superior CD in both performance and in the remastered sound quality.
One thing that interested me was the quality of Jack Sheldon's trumpet work.
Yeah, I remember Sheldon during his stint in the band on the old Merv Griffin
show. But on SMACK UP, here is a horn with a feel for jazz and a sound
reminiscent of Chet Baker, but not the same at all. And the duets between
Jack and Art are superb - they blend so completely that you'd think that you
were listening to a single instrument of unknown design.
So, where do you go to find good Jack Sheldon? I've found him as a sideman in
several CDs (example: as a member of Marty Paich's Dek-Tette), but not as a
leader. And if he never really was successful as a leader, where can I find
more work of the quality shown in SMACK UP?
TIA
Jerry Prather pra...@infi.net
Jack Woker
Jerry Prather wrote:
>
> After reading the Art Pepper recommendations, I went out and bought SMACK UP.
> This is a superior CD in both performance and in the remastered sound quality.
Actually you can thank the original engineer, the great Roy DuNann, for
the excellent sound here and on other Contemporary recordings. The CD
only comes close to capturing the glorious sound Roy got on those
classic sessions.
> So, where do you go to find good Jack Sheldon?
Sheldon has focused his efforts on vocals and novelty material in recent
years, but the following CD's all contain superb trumpet work with no
vocals:
Jack Sheldon - Jack's Groove (GNP/Fresh Sound) (rec. 1957-58)
Playing For Change (Uptown) (1986)
Curtis Counce - You Get More Bounce (Contemporary/OJC) (1956-57)
Carl's Blues (Contemporary/OJC) (1957-58)
Landslide (Contemporary/OJC) (1956)
Sonority (Contemporary) (1956-58)
jack
Raj
I really love "Intensity." The version of "Come Rain Or Come Shine" is
outstanding. Dolo Coker's work on piano is superb.
Raj
Gary Milliken
>So, where do you go to find good Jack Sheldon? I've found him as a sideman in
>several CDs (example: as a member of Marty Paich's Dek-Tette), but not as a
>leader. And if he never really was successful as a leader, where can I find
>more work of the quality shown in SMACK UP?
ICE Magazine reports that a collection of Sheldon's work on Pacific Jazz
will be released by Blue Note on May 5. The title is to be:
"Jack Sheldon: The Quartet and the Quintet".
GM
Jerry Prather
In message <6i2hkc$68o$1...@jethro.Corp.Sun.COM> - mill...@scofield.corp.sun.com
(Gary Milliken) writes:
:>
:>
:>>So, where do you go to find good Jack Sheldon? I've found him as a sideman in
:>
Thanks, I'll probably go for that.
Jerry Prather
JohnRStark
>Hey! I just finished reading Art Peppers biography, Straight-Life....
>wow.... what a story, sad, that junk.... so many great jazz musicians
>ruined their lifes with drugs..
>
Yes, his story is sad. But I think a disturbing truth emerges: for Art Pepper,
music was a drug. This was a man who was trying to deal with an enormous burden
of pain in his heart and soull. I haven't read his book in several years, but I
recall a passage in which he talks about how much he loved to play -- he would
play his gig, then go to an after-hours joint to jam some more, then go back to
his hotel room and try to get people to play with him. But by this time,
everyone would be dozing off. When the music stopped, there was heroin ...
I'm not condoning drug use, for heaven's sake. But I thought the book offered
some real insights into what motivates some of these intense musicians to play
as fanatically as they do -- and what motivates them to inject a deadly drug
into their veins. In Pepper's case, his life was a mess before somebody offered
him his first taste of heroin.
JohnRStark
From Lee Cohen:
>I have more than 100 Art Pepper CDs. I recommend:
>
>50s/60s
>MODERN ART (Capitol/Blue Note) (Best of the Omega tapes)
>PLUS ELEVEN (Fantasy/Contemporary) (Every player in LA for this date)
>SMACK UP (Fantasy/Contemporary) (w/Jack Sheldon at his best)
>---
>70s/80s
>GOING HOME (Fantasy/Galaxy) (Duo with George Cables, Art on Clarinet)
>WINTER MOON (Fantasy/Galaxy) (Strings)
>STRAIGHT LIFE (Fantasy/Galaxy) (Tommy Flanagan, Red Mitchell, Billy
>Higgins)
I have enjoyed Lee Cohen's postings about Art Pepper for a number of years.
People, this gentleman knows the territory. So it is with some trepidation that
I say I prefer the Cables-Pepper duets on "Tete-a-Tete" to the "Going Home"
selection.
I too have a large quantity of Pepper CDs, and I would not part with a single
one of them. They range in quality from great to outstanding. But my absolute
favorites closely parallel those of Mr. Cohen. "Straight Life" is a special
favorite -- the "September Song" from that disc is spine-tingling.
"Modern Art" is also a favorite. Not long after my marriage broke up, when I
felt as though my life was in ruins, I found myself having a casual
conversation about music with a lovely young woman who plays rock guitar and
loves Metallica. I loaned her Modern Art as part of my vocation as jazz
missionary to the savages. She dug it. Pretty soon she was hanging out in the
control room with me as I did my weekly jazz radio show. Some time after that
we got married. She is such a wonderful woman that I don't even mind listening
to Metallica now and then.
Lee M. Cohen
Jack Woker wrote:
>
> Jerry Prather wrote:
> >
> > After reading the Art Pepper recommendations, I went out and bought SMACK UP.
> > This is a superior CD in both performance and in the remastered sound quality.
>
> Actually you can thank the original engineer, the great Roy DuNann, for
> the excellent sound here and on other Contemporary recordings. The CD
> only comes close to capturing the glorious sound Roy got on those
> classic sessions.
----------
And even more amazing when you consider the studio at Contemporary
doubled as the warehouse!
>
>
> > So, where do you go to find good Jack Sheldon?
>
> Sheldon has focused his efforts on vocals and novelty material in recent
> years, but the following CD's all contain superb trumpet work with no
> vocals:
> Curtis Counce - You Get More Bounce (Contemporary/OJC) (1956-57)
>
> Landslide (Contemporary/OJC) (1956)
>
>
--
Of those recommended by Jack, the above are my favortie of the Curtis
Counce Group. If you like SMACK UP, these two above are a no-brainer...
Jack sounds just as good with Harold Land on these dates, who, btw,
wrote SMACK UP. So there you go!
Cheers!
Lee
http://www.jazznet.com
Jerry Prather
In message <3547C641.795D@NOSPAM_Jazznet.com> - "Lee M. Cohen"
<LMCohen@NOSPAM_Jazznet.com> writes:
:>
:>> Curtis Counce - You Get More Bounce (Contemporary/OJC) (1956-57)
:>>
:>> Landslide (Contemporary/OJC) (1956)
:>>
:>>
:>
:>--
:>
:>Of those recommended by Jack, the above are my favortie of the Curtis
:>Counce Group. If you like SMACK UP, these two above are a no-brainer...
:>Jack sounds just as good with Harold Land on these dates, who, btw,
:>wrote SMACK UP. So there you go!
:>
:>Cheers!
:>Lee
:>http://www.jazznet.com
Thanks for the tips. They're going on my search list.
Jerry
Robert J Dewar
Going on memory here,but is the CD entitled +ACI-Surf+AGA-s Up+ACI- with the real cheesy
cover a good Art Pepper purchase??
Steve LeBlanc
Well, thank you all for all of your recommendations...guess I'll
buy at least a few Pepper CDs over the summer.
As a newbie to jazz I find it amazing that there are so many
incredible jazz musicians (like Pepper) that always seem to be
overshadowed by the half dozen giants...Coltrane, Duke, Mingus
Monk, Miles...
...then, someone comes along and says hey what about "Pepper"
(or whoever of the less famous)....and dozens of replies come in
from all over the globe.
This newsgroup is one of the best newsgroups on the net for someone just
beginning their journery into the subject matter...in
this case, great jazz! :-)
Thanks all! Now, what about..nah...I'll leave it for another post.
Steve LeBlanc
r...@tiac.net
fledgling jazz fan
Ashby Ma.
Robert Warren wrote in message
<9804302046591.Th...@delphi.com>...
>Right now I would say that the "Complete Atlas Years" box set from Japan is
>the best Art Pepper available. The Bill Watrous and Sonny Stitt tracks are
>some of the finest Pepper ever.
>
>Also recommended is the Mole CD "Blues for the Fisherman." At the end of
the
>CD Art speaks to the crowd thanking them and it just sends chills.
>
>Jud Warren
>San Antonio, Texas
>robe...@delphi.com
Jim Brown
On 26 Apr 1998 12:32:02 GMT, Jerry Prather wrote:
>as a member of Marty Paich's Dek-Tette)
My very favorite Art Pepper is on the Hi-Lo's And All That Jazz, where he
absolutely steals the set from everyone on the scene, including Marty and the
singers. Jack's solo on "Then I'll Be Tired of You" is one of the great
moments in recorded music.
Jim Brown
Chicago
Lee M. Cohen
Robert J Dewar wrote:
>
> Going on memory here,but is the CD entitled +ACI-Surf+AGA-s Up+ACI- with the real cheesy
> cover a good Art Pepper purchase??
SURF RIDE (SAVOY), yes... BROWN GOLD! This is Art at his early best.
Cheers!
Lee
Jerry Prather
In message <wkeuyeeebxgoiri.pminews@jbdesk> - "Jim Brown" <jimb...@mcs.com>
writes:
:>
:>
I have that and it is on my all-time favorites list (which, BTW, is too damn
long<G>).
Jerry Prather
BSirius
>My very favorite Art Pepper is on the Hi-Lo's And All That Jazz, where he
absolutely steals the set from everyone on the scene, including Marty and the
singers.<
Not familiar with this one, but have to throw in my favorite as well... the
opening cut on "The Art of Pepper," is a simple little bit that I just love.
It's titled, "Holiday Flight" and it still floors me to this day.
bsi...@aol.com
Overland Park, Kansas