I’m not competent to discuss the merits of Pepper’s music, but I do know ‘Straight Life’, the long autobiography he wrote with a lot of help & encouragement from his wife, is, indeed, “incomparable” and “deeply disturbing.” It’s astonishingly good.
It‘s hard not to lapse into hyperbole when describing the book’s virtues. It’s an incredible dark, nuanced, detailed and compelling work of personal and societal history.
Great essay on Pepper. As always a wellspring of information. Loved the chosen songs in the piece. I knew of Pepper but never really got into his music. After this I surely will. Thanks again.
I heard him and Sonny Criss play together at Eagle Rock High School in LA in the 70's. It was so swinging great. I didn't know much about him but bought an Onyx recording of Pepper at a session with Carl Perkins from the early 50's. I couldn't get enough of it. One of our cats is named Pepper (along with Zoot and Tatum).
My introduction to Art Pepper was during that fourth revival. He was everything you say!! I don’t have words adequate to describe his playing. He seemed part of a golden age, he and Dexter Gordon.
So many great solos on so many great tunes. I remember the impact the Blues For The Fisherman albums (Mole Jazz) had on me when I first heard them around 1980. Wonderful music.
Thanks Ted for this article - you’ve finally pushed me over the line into subscribing so I can keep up with you and dig into your archive. If I could post a photo of my bookshelf, you’d be proud. I have all those Art Pepper books right next to several of yours, next to Bill Crow - my favorite books on jazz. Keep up the great work!
Again, again....thank you so much for this. Not least the reminder that I am still here and able and enabled to play music, the music....Jazz. What a journey we’re all on. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
This is the article that compelled me to subscribe. Thank you! Always loved "Straight Life", especially the story about the events around the recording of "Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section". Top 10 desert island LP's is "Art Pepper +11".
Would love to see another article on Spotify regarding "music made by artists under pseudonyms who create tracks purely to populate these playlists at a lower cost to Spotify than artists who are signed to major record labels". (Still enjoy listening to Hara Noda.")
Speaking of addicts I was reading recently the Stan Getz bio by Maggin, noting how when you started the record label you had to turn Getz away. I guess he was trying to get too much. Your record was though very good, got a used copy recently after your post about being in the tv show.
I first learned of Pepper when Smith Dobson V asked if we could work up a new version of the Playboys album he did with Chet Baker. Wondering why Smith would want to switch to the honky sound of an alto, I listened and realized Pepper did what Baker did for the trumpet - turn it into a relaxed human voice. Thanks for encouraging us to explore his frenzied side. Note: given the good looks of those two guys, I don’t think Smith and I will be able to deliver everything connoted by the album’s title:)
Only one glimpse of Art. A huge, bloated "night" of jazz biggies in San Francisco at one of the big 'society' venues (Herbst or War Memorial, if I'm still capable of remembering). The thing was hosted by Jon Hendricks. Musta been around 1980/81. Art came on sometime into the program and was so disconnected or crosswired that Jon came onstage and walked him off. Didn't take much persuasion as I recall.
Anyway, even tho many of us were really hoping, it was not to happen...
I’m not competent to discuss the merits of Pepper’s music, but I do know ‘Straight Life’, the long autobiography he wrote with a lot of help & encouragement from his wife, is, indeed, “incomparable” and “deeply disturbing.” It’s astonishingly good.
The fine literary critic Terry Castle raves:
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v25/n24/terry-castle/my-heroin-christmas
It‘s hard not to lapse into hyperbole when describing the book’s virtues. It’s an incredible dark, nuanced, detailed and compelling work of personal and societal history.
Great essay on Pepper. As always a wellspring of information. Loved the chosen songs in the piece. I knew of Pepper but never really got into his music. After this I surely will. Thanks again.
I heard him and Sonny Criss play together at Eagle Rock High School in LA in the 70's. It was so swinging great. I didn't know much about him but bought an Onyx recording of Pepper at a session with Carl Perkins from the early 50's. I couldn't get enough of it. One of our cats is named Pepper (along with Zoot and Tatum).
One of many brilliant souls lost to the scourge of substance abuse.
My introduction to Art Pepper was during that fourth revival. He was everything you say!! I don’t have words adequate to describe his playing. He seemed part of a golden age, he and Dexter Gordon.
Time to dig out those recordings!!
So many great solos on so many great tunes. I remember the impact the Blues For The Fisherman albums (Mole Jazz) had on me when I first heard them around 1980. Wonderful music.
Thanks Ted for this article - you’ve finally pushed me over the line into subscribing so I can keep up with you and dig into your archive. If I could post a photo of my bookshelf, you’d be proud. I have all those Art Pepper books right next to several of yours, next to Bill Crow - my favorite books on jazz. Keep up the great work!
Again, again....thank you so much for this. Not least the reminder that I am still here and able and enabled to play music, the music....Jazz. What a journey we’re all on. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Great article.
This is the article that compelled me to subscribe. Thank you! Always loved "Straight Life", especially the story about the events around the recording of "Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section". Top 10 desert island LP's is "Art Pepper +11".
Would love to see another article on Spotify regarding "music made by artists under pseudonyms who create tracks purely to populate these playlists at a lower cost to Spotify than artists who are signed to major record labels". (Still enjoy listening to Hara Noda.")
I knew nothing about him, though I guess I'd heard the name, but I'll definitely check him out now! Thanks!
Speaking of addicts I was reading recently the Stan Getz bio by Maggin, noting how when you started the record label you had to turn Getz away. I guess he was trying to get too much. Your record was though very good, got a used copy recently after your post about being in the tv show.
His music has been on my playlist for several years now, remarkable intimacy and remarkable intelligence.
There's an edgier Chet Baker feel to his story the way I perceive it.
A Toshiko Akiyoshi collaboration would have been an interesting balance.
Ted, in retrospect, how did you manage to keep your mental balance, when you interacted with so many giants in decrepitude and despair.
Thank you for this insightful view . As always.
I first learned of Pepper when Smith Dobson V asked if we could work up a new version of the Playboys album he did with Chet Baker. Wondering why Smith would want to switch to the honky sound of an alto, I listened and realized Pepper did what Baker did for the trumpet - turn it into a relaxed human voice. Thanks for encouraging us to explore his frenzied side. Note: given the good looks of those two guys, I don’t think Smith and I will be able to deliver everything connoted by the album’s title:)
Only one glimpse of Art. A huge, bloated "night" of jazz biggies in San Francisco at one of the big 'society' venues (Herbst or War Memorial, if I'm still capable of remembering). The thing was hosted by Jon Hendricks. Musta been around 1980/81. Art came on sometime into the program and was so disconnected or crosswired that Jon came onstage and walked him off. Didn't take much persuasion as I recall.
Anyway, even tho many of us were really hoping, it was not to happen...