Building a Better Jazz Library Part 1

An Art Pepper Primer for Beginners AND Experts

The small army of heroic delivery folks who regularly darken my doorstep with 12"X 12" cardboard boxes would wryly grumble, "It seems like EVERY day is Record Store Day at Jazz and Coffee HQ!" They may have a point 😉. From all reports, it seems that RSD 2024 was even more popular than last year, and indications are that the hobby continues to grow—this is good news on many levels. I hope everyone who celebrated enjoyed themselves, but before turning our attention elsewhere, I have one final RSD anecdote to share.

The day AFTER Record Store Day, I heard about an Art Pepper title that never hit my radar—an Italy-only release from RED Records titled The Art of Art. Decades of over-indulgence in wordplay involving “art” and “pepper” initially soured me on even investigating further until I saw that this release wasn’t a compilation. It was an object of desire—a live gig from a primo period in Art Pepper’s career, July 1981. This got me all hot and bothered as I began the search for a copy—I want to hear as much live Art Pepper as possible.

This desire to add another live Art Pepper album to my library is also COMPLETELY ridiculous, bordering on insanity. I did a back-of-envelope tally of how much live Art Pepper is already in-house—roughly 63 hours across dozens of albums, boxed sets, and ROIO (Recordings of Indeterminate Origin, or as they’re often misnamed, “bootlegs”). My hunger for ANOTHER one is a testament to the consistency and strength of Art Pepper’s performances. Or, maybe vinyl collecting is a disorder for Volume VI of the DSM.

But before putting any effort into tracking down The Art of Art, this is a terrific opportunity to address some unfinished business:

1. As mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been preparing some listening guides specifically designed to help those new to jazz build a quality jazz library and, for those already familiar with the genre, expand their horizons. I'm excited to share these with you all.

2. Several years of questions about sorting through the multitude of live Art Pepper recordings have piled up via the @jazzandcoffee Instagram account. There are DOZENS of recordings to choose from, and determining where to start can be confusing if not downright daunting.

So, let’s address both with a primer that (hopefully) will have something for everyone. But before getting into the music, a caveat specific to Art Pepper.

There’s a contradiction between Art Pepper’s music and Art Pepper, the man. He had a miserable childhood, self-rescued through his preternatural teenage music ascendence. Unfortunately, it led directly to Art Pepper’s young adult descendence into heroin abuse and criminal subcultures, nearly two decades behind bars, and a comeback story as unexpected as the stroke that killed him at age 56. Pepper’s story is told far better in Straight Life, one of the best jazz (auto)biographies you’ll ever read and the best book I’ve ever read about any musician’s life in any genre. It’s a gripping, harrowing story of a man I liked a LOT less after reading it. But it gave me a better understanding of a troubled, complex, hyper-self-critical, and often brilliant artist.

The beauty of his music serves as a foil to the dark sides of Art Pepper’s personality. Pepper faced his blind spots the only way he knew how, using performance as therapy. Nothing could erase his past, so the only way he could make peace with decades of crime, addiction, and incarceration was to pour his regrets, sorrow, anger, and hope for redemption into his horn and leave it all on stage. This is why (from my perspective) there’s no definitive live record—each tells a story, and while some of those stories aren’t happy, they’re all raw, honest, and authentic. Note that I’m referring to the final seven years of his life. So, before going down that rabbit hole, you should explore Art Pepper’s earliest work up to his first jail stint in 1960. It’s those 1950s recordings that he’s best known for, almost all of which are excellent, some are classics, and several are iconic must-haves in any jazz library.

Here's the Jazz and Coffee take on the Art Pepper albums you’ll want on your shelf:

Art Pepper Studio Recordings:

The Essential: Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section

This is a mandatory title in any serious jazz library. Even if you know NOTHING about this record or jazz in general, Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section is a swing of delight that goes well with coffee in the morning or a scotch in the evening. It's an album of excellent musicianship, memorable hooks, and a variety of great tunes. But it’s the backstory that takes this record from iconic to fucking LEGENDARY: Pepper’s sax was out of order and needed repair. His chops were out of whack, as he hadn't played or practiced in weeks. The omnipresent and growing grip of addiction was transmitting its heroin sickness to Art’s body, and he was in terrible shape. When his phone rang, it must’ve been a jaw-dropping (if not panic-inducing) moment. This wasn’t just any session call—Miles Davis’s widely admired rhythm section was in town, and Art was expected at the studio to begin recording. Pepper hadn’t ever played with or even met them before, though he’d long dreamed of making a record with pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones. As Art Pepper had no idea an arrangement was in place for him to realize his dream that day, adrenaline must’ve kicked his brain into high gear— he had a countable number of minutes to fix his heroin Jones, throw some tape around his mouthpiece, and get down to the studio. The day had all the makings of a catastrophe, but Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section trades tragedy for triumph. There is no indication that any problems, obstacles, or Pepper's demons impacted anybody’s performance. Every musician is inspired and at the top of their game, playing with great groove, enthusiasm, and sensitivity. Despite being old enough to collect a pension, this record is also brilliantly recorded. Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section sounds better than most records that are not yet old enough to drive. While the history and mystery of this record continue to be discussed and debated (there's some conflicting data on the chronology of the events leading to Jan 19, 1957, and the story itself has grown like a fish tale), the quality of the music is NEVER in doubt. If you’re going to own just one Art Pepper record, this is THE ONE. TBH, if you’re only going to own just one jazz album, period, this is a pretty good choice, too.

Connoisseurs Choice: Art Pepper + Eleven - Modern Jazz Classics

Art Pepper shifts from being a big band member to leading one, and the results are spectacular! While this mid-sized combo doesn’t require as many nametags as the Stan Kenton orchestra, where Pepper paid his dues as an up-and-comer, they create a big, bold, beautiful wall of sound. Marty Paich’s arrangements are excellent, the material is terrific, and the recording is superb. Craft Recordings has recently reissued a stereo edition that will blow the roof off your home with dynamics that impress and an easy-to-obtain pressing that won’t break the bank. Fun fact—Marty Paich is the father to David Paich of Toto fame! Alternate choice: Marty Paich I Get A Boot Out of You (Warner 1959) features Pepper prominently, and is also teeming with excellent material, fantastic arrangements, and is superbly recorded.

Syd’s Pick: Winter Moon

Let me get this off my chest immediately: jazz combos with syrupy strings make me ill. Anything carrying even a whiff of the dentist’s office waiting room or the overhead PA at the local Food Mart should be killed with fire, and the ashes buried miles deep. But this session will give you all the feels; if Winter Moon (1981) doesn’t make you want to race out and adopt a puppy, see a neurologist immediately. Runner up: Art and Chet Baker did a 1958 session for Pacific Jazz released as Playboys and also as Picture of Heath—it’s real, and it’s spectacular!

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Art Pepper Live Recordings

The Essential: The Complete Village Vanguard Sessions

It’s striking that Art Pepper was a well-established jazz icon two decades into his career before he played his first-ever headlining gig in New York City! Even more striking is that these sets are consistently great—like the infamous Meets the Rhythm Section, Art wasn’t in ideal shape when he took the bandstand. I recommend Laurie Pepper’s wrenching ART: Why I Stuck With a Junkie Jazzman for her eye-popping description of Art’s drug intake before taking the stage. Every story you may have read about notorious partyers like The Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin pale in comparison—Art Pepper is the only musician that could make Keith Moon seem like a Boy Scout. That said, even though Pepper went the chemical distance for these New York shows, he didn’t travel so far that he couldn’t deliver. With the backing of drummer Elvin Jones, bassist George Mraz, and pianist George Cables, each Vanguard set is the kind of New York throwdown reception that Pepper deserved to give and receive. Great sound and astounding performances make this a package you’ll play often. While vinyl editions offer portions of sets from each night, I recommend the CD or digital box—you’ll want every note and the stage banter, which puts you front and center at the Village Vanguard for three nights of unforgettable jazz.

Connoisseurs Choice: The Complete Art Pepper At Ronnie Scott's Club London June 1980

Art's quartets really gelled in his final years, and this one is my second favorite. Recorded over two nights at London’s infamous jazz joint, this has a totally different vibe and a different quartet from the Vanguard dates. While there’s a similar fearlessness in Pepper’s ability to bend the blues to his will as he bears his soul, he’s more relaxed with the London crowd (and perhaps not as chemically reactive). Still, read the essays on the Art Pepper Bandcamp page for this release for yet another mind-blowing tale that will leave you shaking your head in disbelief. Then, do yourself a favor and pony up the $12, which nets you 42 tracks—almost five hours of music—in lossless, audiophile quality. All killer, no filler. Pepper’s band here features Milcho Leviev on piano, Tony Dumas on bass, and Carl Burnett on drums. I’ve got mad respect for Leviev, who got tossed from the Bulgarian Musicians Union as a young jazzer for the crime of Jazz Hooliganism. I have no idea what that means, but if you’re going to be accused of a jazz crime, that sounds like a good one!

Syd’s Pick: The Complete Maiden Voyage Recordings

There are several ways to hear portions of this material. However, as I consider this the apex predator of live Art Pepper collections, I encourage you to cast aside your aversion to the CD format and buy the bookset. That’s the best way to get the most out of this run at the now-defunct Maiden Voyage Jazz Club over three nights. It’s seven sets, 42 tracks, and nearly nine hours in total between music and between-song banter from what might be the hottest working jazz group of 1981. My recommendation isn’t just about having the entirety of the music, though that’s certainly a huge draw. It’s the quality of the overall package, the curation, the thoughtfulness, and the passion involved in putting together this collection of sound and vision. Between Laurie Pepper’s insightful essays and recollections, scans of Art Pepper’s handwritten notes about the individual song performances, photographs, essays, tape box scans, and other ephemera, it’s the closest you’ll get to being there. This ultimate lineup of the Art Pepper Quartet—pianist George Cables, bassist David Williams, and drummer Carl Burnett—are firing on all cylinders. They always reach, and even when they don’t get there, the art is in the recovery. Portions can be found on vinyl via Road Games, Art Lives, and APQ, and on CD as Arthur’s Blues. Even more is on the Complete Galaxy Recordings. And even MORE—about half—is on streaming services as the confusingly titled The Complete Maiden Voyage Concerts though they ARE NOT COMPLETE. The only truly complete recordings are in this bookset and there is currently no digital or vinyl option.

But since we’re on the topic, I recommend the digital edition of The Complete Galaxy Recordings, one of the first big jazz CD boxes I remember selling in quantity when it was first released. It’s a strong collection of Art Pepper’s post-1975 comeback work—studio and live—with tons of bonus tracks from the original vinyl/CD editions. 137 tracks, 18+ hours, and outstanding sound quality. It’s on all the streaming platforms, and you can download the lossless files for about $90US, which is less than a buck per track—if you’re going down the Art Pepper rabbit hole, it’s a great way to put a lot of his essential latter-day career material in your library.

Final thoughts:

1. Art Pepper's life and music are prominently featured in author Michael Connoly's Harry Bosch universe of books and television. The crossover is wonderfully described here. It’s a wildly enjoyable series, and the jazz elements add another layer. It’s also encouraging to see these types of sync placements for jazz—while the huge numbers of new fans that Kate Bush and Metallica saw as a result of their sync placements aren't an appropriate basis for comparison, they demonstrate the power of putting the right music in front of the right audience on the right platform at the right time. In order for that to happen, artists—living and deceased, old and new, across all genres—need quality advocates. Which leads me to my next point…

2. Art Pepper's discography is in the great hands of his widow, Laurie, keeper of the Art Pepper flame, and a superb advocate for his life’s work. She’s an excellent writer, an invaluable chronicler of Art’s life and music during his comeback, and is wise in her choices of partners and projects. She runs the Art Pepper Bandcamp page which has a treasure trove of excellent recordings, audio books, and tons of freebies—it’s worth the visit.

3. While we’re talking about artist advocates, the jazz world lost one of the all-time greats the other day. Rest in power Michael Cuscuna, who succumbed to cancer at the age of 75 after a long, brave struggle. Noted author and music historian Ashley Kahn wrote a moving obituary for the Blue Note website, and I posted the following tribute on the Jazz and Coffee Instagram account:

Long-running narratives about record labels focus on their perceived wrongs--mistreatment of artists, staff, and fans; intentional accounting obfuscation, mishandling of master tapes, or neglect of their archives. These established tropes are understandable: faceless corporations are easy to vilify, larger-than-life record executives make great characters for television/film/books, and everyone likes an accompanying story to rally behind a righteous cause. But you hear less about the good people at record labels. Those who care a great deal about their work, the artists they represent, and the fans to whom they feel a great deal of responsibility. And it's the labors of those everyday heroes who help artists and audiences find one another, sometimes spending YEARS to liberate an artist or album from the darkness of obscurity. For example, the name Tina Brooks would have remained the provenance of jazz aficionados and elicited a "who's she?" from others had it not been for the relentless efforts of the late Michael Cuscuna. Michael was the Godfather of the modern jazz reissue approach, whether it was the Blue Note "twofer" and LT series, Mosaic, or countless other productions over the years. His perspective and writing spoke volumes, and I'll always think of his quote about Tina Brooks from this Mosaic collection: "Far lesser talents have been far more celebrated…he was a unique, sensitive improviser who could weave beautiful and complex tapestries through his horn. His lyricism, unity of ideas an inner logic were astounding." Michael Cuscuna lit the fuse, and the rocket of recalibrating Brooks's place in the jazz pantheon took a long journey requiring many navigators, but here we are. The legacy of Tina Brooks is now far better established, with albums like True Blue widely acknowledged as a classic. So here's honoring Michael's memory with a tip of the hat to all the true blue record label folks who get plenty of online vitriol but don't often get the recognition they deserve—thanks for doing what you do!