Art Pepper

3 CDs BOX SET

This release describes the emotional and musical evolution of an artist as he reacted, always intensely, to the events of his own life and to the events of the music world in general. The 3-CD set, includes a 20-page booklet filled with previously unpublished photographs as well as anecdotes, impressions, and information of Art's life. No track has been included purely for its historical value. Each performance is of good-to-excellent audio quality, all have been remastered by Wayne Peet.

DISC 1. PURE ART (1951 - 1960) - with the Stan Kenton Orchestra
Pure Art is mostly "West Coast Jazz" with all its contrapuntal cleverness and loveliness. Many of the tunes are his originals

PERSONNEL :

[1] Stan Kenton Innovations Ochestra . June 18, 1950.
[2 & 17] Carl Perkins (p), Ben Tucker (b), Chuck Flores (d). April 1, 1957.
[3, 5, 6] Jack Sheldon (tp), Russ Freeman (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Shelly Manne (d). August 6, 1956.
[4 & 14] Russ Freeman (p), Bob Whitlock (b), Bobby White (d). March 29, 1953.
[7] Hampton Hawes (p), Joe Mondragon (b), Larry Bunker (d). March 4, 1952.
[8] Russ Freeman (p), Ben Tucker (b), Chuck Flores (d). January 14, 1957.
[9 & 11] Russ Freeman (p), Ben Tucker (b), Gary Frommer (d). November 23, 1956.
[12 & 16] Warne Marsh (ts), Ronnie Ball (p), Ben Tucker (b), Gary Frommer (d). November 26, 1956.
[10, 13, 15] Jack Montrose (ts), Claude Williamson (p), Monty Budwig (b), Larry Bunker (d). August 25, 1954

01. Art Pepper
02. Fascinatin' Rhythm
03. Patricia
04. Tickle Toe
05. Pepper Returns
06. Mambo De La Pinta
07. These Foolish Things
08. Cool Bunny
09. Besame Mucho
10. Art's Oregano
11. Diane
12. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
13. Straight Life
14. Everything Happens To Me
15. Nutmeg
16. What's New
17. Begin The Beguine

DISC 2. HARD ART (1960 - 1968)
Never before released: recorded at Contemporary Studios
Hard Art consists of mostly unreleased material from a rehearsal recorded at Contemporary Studios in 1964 a few weeks after Art's first release from San Quentin. It reveals his love for Coltrane and for the new sound of jazz.

PERSONNEL:

[1-6] Frank Strazzeri (p), Hersh Hamel (b), Bill Goodwin (d). June, 1964.
[7] Buddy Rich Big Band : Charles Owens (as, fl, cl), Don Menza (ts, fl),
Pat LaBarbera (ts, fl), John Laws (bs, bcl), Al Porcino, Bill Prince,
Ken Faulk, Dave Culp (tp), Jim Trimble, Rick Stepton, Peter Graves (tb),
Walt Namuth (g), Joe Azarello (p), Gary Walters (b) and Buddy Rich (d).
Recorded in 1968.

01. Rehearsal
02. Track 2
03. So In Love
04. Talk
05. That Crazy Blues
06. D Section
07. Chelsea Bridge

DISC 3. CONSUMMATE ART (1972 - 1982)
Mostly unreleased live material. Consummate Art is just that. This is a narrative of reconciliation. In this music, most of which has never been released, Art embraces his past and his pain in music that is delicate, lively, and touching, and, at the same time, free: It rages and celebrates.

PERSONNEL:

[1 & 7] Milcho Leviev (p), Bob Magnusson (b), Carl Burnett (d).
Yamagata, Japan, March 14, 1978 and Paris, June 19, 1981.
[2] Smith Dobdon (p), Jim Nichols (b), Brad Bilhorn (d). Bach Dynamite & Dancing Society, Half Moon Bay, California, 1977.
[3 & 6] Stanley Cowell (p), George Mraz (b), Ben Riley (d).
Fat Tuesday's, New York, April 1982.
[4, 5] Jack Sheldon (tp), Russ Freeman (p), Bob Magnusson (b), Carl Burnett (d). Hollywood All Star Sessions, 1980.

01. Caravan (12:55)
02. Lost Life (8:37)
03. Landscape (12:46)
04. Angel Wings (5:16)
05. Historia De Un Amor (7:43)
06. Mambo Koyama (14:11)
07. That's Love (7:30)

Tracks [1-6] on Disc 2 - previously unreleased
Tracks [2, 3, 6, 7] on Disc 3 -previously unreleased
Tracks [1, 4, 5] on Disc 3 - Limited released

This 3-CD collection of the greatness that was saxophonist Art Pepper is sure to become a favorite among his fans and those who treasure great jazz performances. The three CDs cover the gifted performer and his remarkable saxophone interpretations. - JazzReview

The Art History Project is an excellent collection. All three discs stand up to repeated listens - MusicReview