Beautiful late work from Art Pepper – one of his albums recorded for the well-done Artist House label, and a set that's maybe got a different vibe than some of his Galaxy recordings of the time! There's a rock-solid sense of soul to the record – one that comes from the work of two different rhythm trios – one that features George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm trio who keep things swinging, but never in a way that's too straight – pushing Art a bit around the edges, but letting him come right down the middle with some fantastic solos on alto – the other with Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Tunes are a bit shorter than on some other albums of the period, but in a great way that really lets you focus in on Pepper's amazing sound –and titles include "Diane", "Stardust", "Blues For Blanche", and "Straight No Chaser". CD

Beautiful late work from Art Pepper – one of his albums recorded for the well-done Artist House label, and a set that's maybe got a different vibe than some of his Galaxy recordings of the time! There's a rock-solid sense of soul to the record – one that comes from the work of two different rhythm trios – one that features George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm trio who keep things swinging, but never in a way that's too straight – pushing Art a bit around the edges, but letting him come right down the middle with some fantastic solos on alto – the other with Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Tunes are a bit shorter than on some other albums of the period, but in a great way that really lets you focus in on Pepper's amazing sound –and titles include "Diane", "Stardust", "Blues For Blanche", and "Straight No Chaser". CD

A great little record from Art Pepper – four long tracks that really have him stretching out on alto – but in a way that's maybe a bit different than some of his more burning albums on the Galaxy label at the time! The group here follows from some of the previous Artist House recordings – George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm combo that's mighty nice – and which benefits from some great straight basswork from Haden, and Higgins' always compelling sense of rhythm! Titles include "My Friend John", "Stardust", and "Tin Tin Deo" – plus a reading of "In A Mellotone" that has Art on clarinet. LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record from Art Pepper – four long tracks that really have him stretching out on alto – but in a way that's maybe a bit different than some of his more burning albums on the Galaxy label at the time! The group here follows from some of the previous Artist House recordings – George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm combo that's mighty nice – and which benefits from some great straight basswork from Haden, and Higgins' always compelling sense of rhythm! Titles include "My Friend John", "Stardust", and "Tin Tin Deo" – plus a reading of "In A Mellotone" that has Art on clarinet. CD features six bonus tracks – the tune "Art's Sweet Blues", and alternates of "But Beautiful", "Yesterdays", "Stardust", "In A Mellow Tone", and "You Go To My Head". CD

The "trip" here is a mellow one – not the soaring, spacey style you might expect in a long line of drug-reference titles for Art Pepper albums – but that difference is a-ok with us, because Art's really hitting some great new territory here, thanks to a hip trio that includes George Cables on piano! Tracks are long and stretched out – but in a way that's gently exploratory, and focused on a really warm sense of tone – in a mode that we might liken slightly to Stan Getz at his best moments from the same period, particularly the groove he developed in his post-Sweet Rain years. Other members of the quartet include David Williams on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – and tracks include "The Trip", "Sweet Love Of Mine", "A Song For Richard", "Red Car", and "The Summer Knows". LP, Vinyl record album

The "trip" here is a mellow one – not the soaring, spacey style you might expect in a long line of drug-reference titles for Art Pepper albums – but that difference is a-ok with us, because Art's really hitting some great new territory here, thanks to a hip trio that includes George Cables on piano! Tracks are long and stretched out – but in a way that's gently exploratory, and focused on a really warm sense of tone – in a mode that we might liken slightly to Stan Getz at his best moments from the same period, particularly the groove he developed in his post-Sweet Rain years. Other members of the quartet include David Williams on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – and tracks include "The Trip", "Sweet Love Of Mine", "Song For Richard", "Red Car", and "The Summer Knows". CD features 1 bonus track! CD

Features Russ Freeman on piano, Ben Tucker on Bass & Gary Frommer on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A great spare set from Art Pepper – a date that features Art on alto and clarinet, with piano from George Cables. CD

Incredible work from alto genius Art Pepper – one of our favorite albums ever by the saxophonist – and a set that we actually love even more than his classic albums for the Contemporary label! Art's in a setting here that really lets him put a lot of edginess on his horn – demonstrating that sharper tone he brought to the alto, with a lot of bite in the best sort of setting – of which this album is one! The group is nicely focused – and includes Russ Freeman on piano, Ben Tucker on bass, and Gary Frommer on drums – working with Art to give the album a very urgent, upfront sort of vibe. The set's comprised of nearly all original tracks – and titles include "Arts Opus", "Pepper Pot", "Val's Pal", and "Diane". CD's also got 5 bonus tracks, which are alternate takes of tracks on the album. Great stuff, and one to buy if you've ever wondered why you should think Pepper is so great! CD

A rare Japanese-only vinyl set of Art Pepper's legendary 1977 recordings at the Village Vanguard – really open, freewheeling material that has the mature altoist at his best! A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and Pepper also plays some great tenor, too. All tracks are very long – and titles include "The Trip", "You Go To My Head", "Cherokee", "My Friend John", "Blues For Les", "Valse Triste", "Goodbye", "But Beautiful", "Caravan", "Labyrinth", and "Las Cuevas De Mario". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from alto genius Art Pepper – a set in which he meets up with the famous Miles Davis rhythm section of the time – Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a trio of players who really help send the album over the top! There's maybe a bit more of a crackle in the rhythms here than on some of Art's other 50s records – which makes for a classic meeting of east and west coast scenes, and some especially nice raspy lines from Pepper – delivered at that level that always made his music of this period so nicely complex – outwardly cool, but with some seething energy at the core. Titles include a definitive take on Art's classic "Straight Life" – plus "Waltz Me Blues", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "Star Eyes". CD

A live set recorded at the Lighthouse in 1953 – with Sonny Clark on piano! CD

An excellent 70s side from Art Pepper – recorded with a West Coast rhythm section that includes Hampton Hawes, Charlie Haden, and Shelly Manne! The trio all play here with a remarkable intensity, given the date of the session – and although the production's got that later, crisper Contemporary tone, it still lets Art's horn come through beautifully! Pepper's singular voice and beautiful phrasing are still intact, and the quartet cooks nicely on half a dozen numbers, mostly Pepper originals – "Ophelia", "Here's That Rainy Day", "What Laurie Likes", "Mr Yohe, "Lost Life", and "Samba Mom-Mom". CD features 1 bonus track! CD

Art Pepper's blowing wonderfully here in a well-recorded live set from Paris – material from the end of his life, at a time when he never failed to surprise us with fresh elements in his music! A live date like this is really the best chance to hear Pepper at this point in his career – as he's freely inventive, and extremely spontaneous – really living life to its fullest through the beauty of his horn, yet without any of the indulgences of the past. The group features Milcho Leviev on piano, Bob Magnuson on bass, and Carl Burnett on drums – and titles include a wonderful reading of Pepper's "Ophelia", plus "Caravan", "What Is This Thing Called Love", and "That's Right". CD

Given that Pepper was on and off the LA scene a fair bit in the 50s – due to personal trouble and legal battles – this album's not so much "the return", as it is one of Pepper's many strong steps back into the studio, a place in which he demonstrated an uncanny ability to craft brilliant work, despite the turmoil going on around him. The set's as classic as you can get for Pepper – right down to the classic William Claxton photo on the cover (which has a chilling story that you'll find in Art's autobiography). Players include Jack Sheldon, Russ Freeman, Leroy Vinnegar, and Shelly Manne – and titles include "Pepper Returns", "Funny Blues", "Angel Wings", "Walkin Out Blues", "Five More", "Minority", and "Mambo De La Pinta". CD

Excellent small group material from modern alto genius Art Pepper – a set that might well be our favorite of all the classic albums he cut for Contemporary Records! The album's got quite a strange title – Smack Up, a very strange choice, given Pepper's well-known experience as a junkie – and the set features some edgey work that really pushes Art away from the sweeter sounds of a few years before – material that maybe reflects some of the troubles he'd been going through, which shows up in the music in some really great ways. The group is a lean quintet – with Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums – and there's some slightly off-kilter tracks on the set that really make it sparkle, including Duane Tatro's "Maybe Next Year", Ornette's "Tears Inside", and Harold Land's "Smack Up" – the irony of which, we're sure, was not lost on Art Pepper! Also includes Pepper's own "Las Cuevas De Mario". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Art Pepper on alto, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – on titles that include "Surf Ride", "Make A List", "Nature Boy", "Straight Life", and "September Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Late 50s recordings by Art Pepper – cut in Hollywood, in the studio, during the years 1957 and 1958, with a group that features Carl Perkins on piano, Ben Tucker on bass, and Chuck Flores on drums. This Japanese pressing isn't entirely clear on the original source of the material, but a few of the tracks are marked as "unreleased", so we're assuming that at least a few of the rest were issued by another label at one time. The quality of the work is great – laidback, crisp, and with Pepper blowing in that angular tone that was almost a bit of Konitz modern, but which still had plenty of LA bop influences. Titles include "Surfride", "Fascinatin Rhythm", "Too Close For Comfort", "Summertime", "Begin The Beguine", and "Holiday Flight". LP, Vinyl record album

A unique large group session from Art Pepper – one of his few this way as a leader, despite constant 50s presence as a sideman in big ensembles! Arrangements are by Marty Paich, who more than makes things swing – and there's a nice rhythm section dancing underneath a larger group – with Russ Freeman on piano, Joe Mondragon on bass and Mel Lewis on drums. Players in the fuller lineup include Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Herb Geller on alto, Bill Perkins on tenor, and Bob Enevoldsen on trombone and tenor – and titles are mostly modern numbers written by other jazzmen like Horace Silver, Denzil Best, Jimmy Giuffre, and Sonny Rollins. Titles include "Groovin High", "Move", "Four Brothers", "Anthropology", and "Airegin". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of our favorite work ever by altoist Art Pepper – material recorded in the mid 50s in small group mode, and issued over a variety of labels that include Intro, Jazz West, Pacific Jazz, and Omegatape! The Pepper heard here is different than the Art you might catch on some of the better-known sides for Contemporary from the same stretch – because the setting's a bit more relaxed, and Pepper really hits some tremendous tones on his solos – playing with a sound that's crisp and modern, yet also surprisingly soulful too – a new deepening of his style as the 50s moved on, and an aspect of his work that we've always loved tremendously. The settings here vary – with shifting lineups of players that include Jack Sheldon, Russ Freeman, Gerald Wiggins, Red Norvo, Ben Tucker, Bill Perkins, and Carl Perkins – but there's a really unified feeling to the recordings, partly through this new sense of spirit that Pepper was bringing to his work. The package brings together both original tracks from the albums, plus bonus material from now-deleted CD reissues from years back – all done with the usual high level of Mosaic liner notes and session details! 45 tracks in all – all of them great! CD

A legendary album from alto genius Art Pepper – a set in which he meets up with the famous Miles Davis rhythm section of the time – Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a trio of players who really help send the album over the top! There's maybe a bit more of a crackle in the rhythms here than on some of Art's other 50s records – which makes for a classic meeting of east and west coast scenes, and some especially nice raspy lines from Pepper – delivered at that level that always made his music of this period so nicely complex – outwardly cool, but with some seething energy at the core. Titles include a definitive take on Art's classic "Straight Life" – plus "Waltz Me Blues", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "Star Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from alto genius Art Pepper – a set in which he meets up with the famous Miles Davis rhythm section of the time – Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a trio of players who really help send the album over the top! There's maybe a bit more of a crackle in the rhythms here than on some of Art's other 50s records – which makes for a classic meeting of east and west coast scenes, and some especially nice raspy lines from Pepper – delivered at that level that always made his music of this period so nicely complex – outwardly cool, but with some seething energy at the core. Titles include a definitive take on Art's classic "Straight Life" – plus "Waltz Me Blues", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "Star Eyes". CD

A really fantastic collection of early work from the alto genius Art Pepper – very much the material that will turn you on to his talents, with cuts that aren't as widely in circulation as his material for Contemporary! This 2 LP set features everything Art recorded for the Intro and Jazz West labels, and is a totally necessary addition to any Art Pepper collection – as it's some of the finest work we can think of from the time. Titles include "Pepper Steak", "Tenor Blooz", "Mambo De La Pinta", "Blues In", "Cool Bunny", "Blues Out", and "Five More". 23 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

A nice lost late number from Art Pepper – a freewheeling set of tracks that really show the influence of John Coltrane on Pepper's work – cut with a quartet that includes George Cables on piano, Tony Dumas on "blitz bass", and Carl Burnett on drums. The tracks are long, and two numbers have a really nice Latiny flair – with Art spinning out some aggressive solos on top of fast-running grooves, in a way you'd be surprised to hear on one of his albums from the time! Titles include "Rita San", "My Laurie", "Ballad of The Sad Young Men", and "Mambo De La Pinta". CD also features one bonus track – "No Limit", which oddly wasn't on the original album – even though it's got the same title! CD

Excellent small group material from modern alto genius Art Pepper – a set that might well be our favorite of all the classic albums he cut for Contemporary Records! The album's got quite a strange title – Smack Up, a very strange choice, given Pepper's well-known experience as a junkie – and the set features some edgey work that really pushes Art away from the sweeter sounds of a few years before – material that maybe reflects some of the troubles he'd been going through, which shows up in the music in some really great ways. The group is a lean quintet – with Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums – and there's some slightly off-kilter tracks on the set that really make it sparkle, including Duane Tatro's "Maybe Next Year", Ornette's "Tears Inside", and Harold Land's "Smack Up" – the irony of which, we're sure, was not lost on Art Pepper! Also includes Pepper's own "Las Cuevas De Mario". LP, Vinyl record album

A previously unissued live recorded by Art Pepper – playing at a 1975 tribute to Charlie Parker, recorded in Pasadena with a lineup that includes Joe Albany on piano, Roy Porter on drums, Sahib Shihab on baritone sax, and Harry Babasin on bass. That quintet of players is enough to get our interest on this one – and we've got to say that the blend of baritone and alto is really great – and handled here with an open-blowing spirit that really keeps our imagination up on the set's long interpretations of Parker classics. The sound quality is a bit "live", but the quality of the solos shines through tremendously – and titles include "Groovin High", "All The Things You Are", "Ornithology", and "Donna Lee" – all over 10 minutes in length! CD

Unusual stuff – just duets between Pepper's alto and the piano of George Cables – nice and intimate! LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent session that stands as one of both players' strongest from the time! Baker's really opening up here, moving more into that hardbop mode of the late 50s – and Pepper's already hit his stride here – with the pair of them working in a group that includes Phil Urso on tenor, Carl Perkins on piano, Curtis Counce on bass, and Larry Marable on drums. The whole set's got that west coast cool crossover to hardbop feel that you'd get on Baker's Chet Baker And Crew set – thanks to fire from the rhythm section, and a sharp edge from Urso. Tracks include "Minor Yours", "Tynan Time", "For Miles & Miles", "CTA", and "Picture Of Heath". CD

A lesser-known set by Art Pepper from his late 70s years – recorded among a quartet of "friends" who include Russ Freeman on piano, Bob Magnussen on bass, and Frank Butler on drums! The tracks are longish, and mostly older standards – and overall, Pepper's a bit more inside than on some of his other 70s sessions – blowing with a tone that takes us nicely back to the old days, but which is fleshed out by some of the deeper feelings he brought to his sound in the 70s. There's less of the searing long runs here, and more of the crisp lines that first made Art great – coupled with some introspection that's an especially great quality of the record. Titles include "Blue Bossa", "Among Friends", "Round Midnight", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "What's New", "Besame Mucho", and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You". CD

A late live set – recorded in Los Angeles in 1981, with a combo that fetaures George Cables on piano, David Williams on bass, and Carl Burnett on drums! All titles are nice and long – and tracks include "Samba Mom Mom", "Allen's Alley", "But Beautiful", and "For Freddie". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff by Art Pepper – originally issued only on tape, and kind of lost in his catalog – and like many albums of his 50s work released after the fact, this one almost blows away some of his best known records! The material was recorded in 1957, and was only ever issued on pre-recorded tape by the Omega Tape Company, so it's one of the rarest 50s sessions by Pepper. The set's got a harder groove than most of his record on Contemporary – which is great with us, because we can finally hear the emotion and tone that Pepper is always credited with, but which doesn't always show up on record. The group's a small one, with Ben Tucker on bass, Chuck Flores on drums, and the late LA bopper Carl Perkins on piano. Titles include "Surf Ride", "Begin The Beguine", "Holiday Flight", "Webb City", and "Too Close For Comfort". CD also features 2 previously unissued bonus tracks – "Blues Rock" and "Rock Blues". CD

A nicely focused set from the great Art Pepper – a record that features a number of familiar bop and jazz themes, but set to a more open, relaxed, and very soulful style that wonderfully reflects all the greatness of Pepper in his final years! The group on the record is nicely understated, but still very hip – George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and Art gets plenty of space to step out front and really blow these amazing solos, including one number that features just bass and drums, while Pepper blows a bit of clarinet – which we always love. All other titles feature alto sax – and titles include "Donna Lee", "Anthropology", "You Go To My Head", "Body & Soul", and "Desafinado". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Smack Up", "Tin Tin Deo", "You'd Be Nice To Come Home To", "Gettin' Together", "Mambo Koyama", "Prisoner", and "Over The Rainbow". CD

The title says "Garden State", but the material's from California – but we'll forgive the producers of the CD for that, given that they don't live in the US! Disc 1 features a really unusual 70s recording from Art Pepper – quite different than most of his better-known work from the time! The group alone is enough to indicate the unusual quality of the set – as it's larger than usual, with a great lineup that includes Harold Land and Buddy Collette on tenor, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, and Butch Lacy on electric piano – all coming together with a magically free-flowing and soulful sound – recorded in San Diego in 1975. The presence of the electric piano touches the set with a nice degree of electricity – but the real energy comes from the fantastic horn interplay, stretching out nicely over the album's 3 long tracks. Titles include "Blue's Blue", "Milestones", and "Over The Rainbow". Disc 2 features Art Pepper playing at a 1975 tribute to Charlie Parker, recorded in Pasadena with a lineup that includes Joe Albany on piano, Roy Porter on drums, Sahib Shihab on baritone sax, and Harry Babasin on bass. That quintet of players is enough to get our interest on this one – and we've got to say that the blend of baritone and alto is really great – and handled here with an open-blowing spirit that really keeps our imagination up on the set's long interpretations of Parker classics. The sound quality is a bit "live", but the quality of the solos shines through tremendously – and titles include "Groovin High", "All The Things You Are", "Ornithology", and "Donna Lee" – all over 10 minutes in length! This material was previously available on 2 separate, expensive Japanese CDs – now out at a nice low price! CD

Revelatory work from the great Art Pepper – presented here in a complete package for the first time ever. In Pepper's later years, his live dates were often more mindblowing than his studio sessions – especially when the tape was rolling over a long stretch, as was the case over the three nights of recordings presented here! Art's on alto, in a tight group with George Cables on piano – arguably one of his most sensitive accompanists in these years – plus David Williams on bass and Carl Burnett on drums – a lineup that remains firm through the seven sets of music captured in this collection. The package features 42 performances, including 23 performances that appear here for the first time ever, plus bits of banter and other between-song conversation – all wrapped up in a box with a 44 page booklet of notes. Titles include "For Freddie", "Without A Song", "Road Waltz", "Mambo Koyama", "Allen's Alley", "Begin The Beguine", "Landscape", "Valse Triste", "But Beautiful", "Roadgame", "For Freddie", "Donna Lee", "Samba Mom Mom", "Yours Is My Heart Alone", and "Arthur's Blues". CD

A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. CD

Some of the best Art Pepper work you'll ever find! This 2LP set is filled with tracks that were originally cut for Savoy Records during the time of Art's Surf Ride album for that label, but which were lost on the cutting room floor for years. Pepper's tone is fantastic – with more of an edge than usual, kind of a raspy soulful quality that you don't find in some of his other work, especially those slicker overrated sessions that most consider "classic". We love this material, and this LP is the first time this material has seen the light of day. There's a number of alternate takes, but don't worry, because they're worth hearing, and often have very different solos. Titles include "Everything Happens To Me", "Art's Oregano", "What's New", "Thyme Time", "Nutmeg", "Suzy The Poodle", and "Straight Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – on titles that include "But Beautiful" and "Caravan", plus two Pepper tunes "Labyrinth" and "Las Cuevas De Mario". CD

One of Art Pepper's most classic sets for Contemporary – a record that puts him in the company of the Miles Davis rhythm section – Jimmy Cobb on drums, Paul Chambers on bass, and Wynton Kelly on piano – who make up 3/5 of a quintet that also includes trumpeter Conte Candoli! The tracks open up a bit more from some of Pepper's 50s work in LA – arguably a bit tighter at times, and possibly a bit more "classic" – at least to longtime fans of the set. There's a bit less edge here than on some of Art's other 50s dates, but the album's still a great one – with titles that are a mixture of originals like "Getting Together", "Diane", and "Bijou The Poodle", plus a few other strong numbers, like Chambers' "Whims Of Chambers" and Dory & Andre Previn's "Why Are We Afraid?" CD

Art's blowing with a quiet intensity here – not as far out as you might expect from the title, but with that crisp genius that still graced all of his records from the time! The album features a quartet with Dolo Coker on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums – working in a format that gives Art center stage, blowing with a slightly raspy tone that still always sends chills up our spine! There's a maturity here that we really like – that later Contemporary mode that has Pepper breaking things down a bit more than usual, and showing a bit more humanity in his horn. Titles include "Too Close For Comfort", "Gone With The Wind", "Long Ago & Far Away", and "I Love You". CD also features the bonus track "Five Points". CD

Art's blowing with a quiet intensity here – not as far out as you might expect from the title, but with that crisp genius that still graced all of his records from the time! The album features a quartet with Dolo Coker on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums – working in a format that gives Art center stage, blowing with a slightly raspy tone that still always sends chills up our spine! There's a maturity here that we really like – that later Contemporary mode that has Pepper breaking things down a bit more than usual, and showing a bit more humanity in his horn. Titles include "Too Close For Comfort", "Gone With The Wind", "Long Ago & Far Away", and "I Love You". CD also features the bonus track "Five Points". CD

Features material from the sessions for So In Love and New York Album. CD

A really smoking live set from Art Pepper – recorded quite late in his too-short career, and a great reminder that he still had plenty to offer us when he left the planet! The tracks are all very long, and Art's a masterful soloist throughout – blowing with the sort of non-stop energy and creative vision used on some of his famous expanded live dates from the final years – including the Vanguard sessions box set! Yet there's also maybe even more bite here – a very intense approach a times, driven strongly by a trio that features Milcho Leviev on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Al Foster on some especially strong drums. Titles include "Goodbye", "Red Car", "What Is This Thing Called Love", and "Make A List Make A Wish". CD

A really smoking live set from Art Pepper – recorded quite late in his too-short career, and a great reminder that he still had plenty to offer us when he left the planet! The tracks are all very long, and Art's a masterful soloist throughout – blowing with the sort of non-stop energy and creative vision used on some of his famous expanded live dates from the final years – including the Vanguard sessions box set! Yet there's also maybe even more bite here – a very intense approach a times, driven strongly by a trio that features Milcho Leviev on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Al Foster on some especially strong drums. Titles include "Goodbye", "Red Car", "What Is This Thing Called Love", and "Make A List Make A Wish". CD

An excellent 70s side from Art Pepper – recorded with a West Coast rhythm section that includes Hampton Hawes, Charlie Haden, and Shelly Manne! The trio all play here with a remarkable intensity, given the date of the session – and although the production's got that later, crisper Contemporary tone, it still lets Art's horn come through beautifully! Pepper's singular voice and beautiful phrasing are still intact, and the quartet cooks nicely on half a dozen numbers, mostly Pepper originals – "Ophelia", "Here's That Rainy Day", "What Laurie Likes", "Mr Yohe, "Lost Life", and "Samba Mom-Mom". CD features 1 bonus track! CD

An excellent 70s side from Art Pepper – recorded with a West Coast rhythm section that includes Hampton Hawes, Charlie Haden, and Shelly Manne! The trio all play here with a remarkable intensity, given the date of the session – and although the production's got that later, crisper Contemporary tone, it still lets Art's horn come through beautifully! Pepper's singular voice and beautiful phrasing are still intact, and the quartet cooks nicely on half a dozen numbers, mostly Pepper originals – "Ophelia", "Here's That Rainy Day", "What Laurie Likes", "Mr Yohe, "Lost Life", and "Samba Mom-Mom". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest West Coast jazz LPs of all time! Art Pepper plays beautiful spiralling alto lines with a tight quartet that includes Russ Freeman on piano, Chuck Flores on drums, and Ben Tucker on bass. The whole thing swings in a way that's tough to find on some of Pepper's other albums from the time, and the track list includes "Dianne's Dilemma", "Blues In", "Blues Out", and "Cool Bunny". CD

A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – on titles that include "No Limit", "These Foolish Things", "More For Les" and "Over The Rainbow". CD

Great stuff by Art Pepper – and like many albums of his 50s work released after the fact, this one almost blows away some of his best known records! The material was recorded in 1958, and was only ever issued on pre-recorded tape by the Omega Tape Company, so it's one of the rarest 50s sessions by Pepper. The set's got a harder groove than most of his record on Contemporary – which is great with us, because we can finally hear the emotion and tone that Pepper is always credited with, but which doesn't always show up on record. The group's a small one, with Ben Tucker on bass, Chuck Flores on drums, and the late LA bopper Carl Perkins on piano. Titles include "Surf Ride", "Begin The Beguine", "Long Ago & Far Away", "Holiday Flight", and "The Breeze & I". LP, Vinyl record album

Five tremendous albums from saxophone genius Art Pepper – presented here with a lot of bonus tracks too! First up is So In Love – beautiful late work from Art Pepper – one of his albums recorded for the well-done Artist House label, and a set that's maybe got a different vibe than some of his Galaxy recordings of the time! There's a rock-solid sense of soul to the record – one that comes from the work of two different rhythm trios – one that features George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm trio who keep things swinging, but never in a way that's too straight – pushing Art a bit around the edges, but letting him come right down the middle with some fantastic solos on alto – the other with Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Tunes are a bit shorter than on some other albums of the period, but in a great way that really lets you focus in on Pepper's amazing sound –and titles include "Diane", "Stardust", "Blues For Blanche", and "Straight No Chaser". Artworks is a nicely focused set from the great Art Pepper – a record that features a number of familiar bop and jazz themes, but set to a more open, relaxed, and very soulful style that wonderfully reflects all the greatness of Pepper in his final years! The group on the record is nicely understated, but still very hip – George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and Art gets plenty of space to step out front and really blow these amazing solos, including one number that features just bass and drums, while Pepper blows a bit of clarinet – which we always love. All other titles feature alto sax – and titles include "Donna Lee", "Anthropology", "You Go To My Head", "Body & Soul", and "Desafinado". Next is a New York Album, but one that was oddly recorded in Burbank – and which has Art Pepper sounding very much at the top of his game! The format here is a bit like the other Artist House Pepper sessions, and those he did for the Japanese Atlas label – tight, focused, often tunes that are older jazz or bop standards – but swing with a great rhythm section, and topped with completely sublime alto solos from the leader! The quartet features Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums – but one number is a duo between Carter and Pepper, and another features just piano and alto. Titles include "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Duo Blues", "My Friend John", and "Straight No Chaser". Stardust is a great little record from Art Pepper – four long tracks that really have him stretching out on alto – but in a way that's maybe a bit different than some of his more burning albums on the Galaxy label at the time! The group here follows from some of the previous Artist House recordings – George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm combo that's mighty nice – and which benefits from some great straight basswork from Haden, and Higgins' always compelling sense of rhythm! Titles include "My Friend John", "Stardust", and "Tin Tin Deo" – plus a reading of "In A Mellotone" that has Art on clarinet. CD5 features a full disc of Sessions material, titled as such – alternates, and unusual versions from the recording dates – and all other of the four CDs feature bonus material as well – different takes and alternates! CD

Given that Pepper was on and off the LA scene a fair bit in the 50s – due to personal trouble and legal battles – this album's not so much "the return", as it is one of Pepper's many strong steps back into the studio, a place in which he demonstrated an uncanny ability to craft brilliant work, despite the turmoil going on around him. The set's as classic as you can get for Pepper – right down to the classic William Claxton photo on the cover (which has a chilling story that you'll find in Art's autobiography). Players include Jack Sheldon, Russ Freeman, Leroy Vinnegar, and Shelly Manne – and titles include "Pepper Returns", "Funny Blues", "Angel Wings", "Walkin Out Blues", "Five More", "Minority", and "Mambo De La Pinta". CD

Beautiful late work from Art Pepper – and a set that definitely lives up to the samba promised in its name! The groove here is a bit more fluid than usual for Art at this time in his career – and that's saying a lot, given the open-ended style of his Galaxy and Contemporary work – and in a way, it's the rhythm section that really seems to drive the record – George Cables on piano, Michael Formanek on bass, and Eddie Marshall on drums – really stretching out on the album's long, live tracks to give Pepper plenty of dancing rhythms underneath his alto lines. The set features two great Brazilian-tinged groovers – "Samba Mom Mom" and a version of "Blue Bossa" – plus "Art Meets Mr Beautiful" and "Here's That Rainy Day". CD

A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – on titles that include "You Go To My Head", "The Trip", and "Cherokee". CD

Excellent small group material from modern alto genius Art Pepper – a set that might well be our favorite of all the classic albums he cut for Contemporary Records! The album's got quite a strange title – Smack Up, a very strange choice, given Pepper's well-known experience as a junkie – and the set features some edgey work that really pushes Art away from the sweeter sounds of a few years before – material that maybe reflects some of the troubles he'd been going through, which shows up in the music in some really great ways. The group is a lean quintet – with Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums – and there's some slightly off-kilter tracks on the set that really make it sparkle, including Duane Tatro's "Maybe Next Year", Ornette's "Tears Inside", and Harold Land's "Smack Up" – the irony of which, we're sure, was not lost on Art Pepper! Also includes Pepper's own "Las Cuevas De Mario". CD

Beautiful late work from Art Pepper – one of his albums recorded for the well-done Artist House label, and a set that's maybe got a different vibe than some of his Galaxy recordings of the time! There's a rock-solid sense of soul to the record – one that comes from the work of two different rhythm trios – one that features George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm trio who keep things swinging, but never in a way that's too straight – pushing Art a bit around the edges, but letting him come right down the middle with some fantastic solos on alto – the other with Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Tunes are a bit shorter than on some other albums of the period, but in a great way that really lets you focus in on Pepper's amazing sound –and titles include "Diane", "Stardust", "Blues For Blanche", and "Straight No Chaser". CD

Features Art Pepper on alto, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – on titles that include "Surf Ride", "Make A List", "Nature Boy", "Straight Life", and "September Song". CD

A classic 50s album on Savoy – a set that's almost as memorable for its cartoony cover as it is for the great Art Pepper material on the record! Pepper's tone here is wonderful – that sharper-edged, more soulful approach that you often get in his smaller label 50s work – a nice contrast to some of the smoother sides of Art, and the part of his sound we really love. The album's got three different west coast groups working with Pepper – with players who include Russ Freeman or Hampton Hawes on piano, Jack Montrose on tenor, Joe Mondragon or Monte Budwig on bass, and Larry Bunker or Bobby White on drums. But Art's the main star of the set – blowing beautifully throughout, with both jaw-dropping precision and a tremendous sense of sound! Titles include "Tickle Toe", "Chili Pepper", "Susie The Poodle", "Brown Gold", "Holiday Flight", "Surf Ride", "Straight Life", "Cinnamon", and "Thyme Time". CD

A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – on titles that include "Valse Triste", "Goodbye", "Blues For Les" and "My Friend John". CD

A soaring later date from Art Pepper – recorded with excellent rhythm from the trio of Stanley Cowell on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – plus a bit of percussion from Kenneth Nash too! CD

The "trip" here is a mellow one – not the soaring, spacey style you might expect in a long line of drug-reference titles for Art Pepper albums – but that difference is a-ok with us, because Art's really hitting some great new territory here, thanks to a hip trio that includes George Cables on piano! Tracks are long and stretched out – but in a way that's gently exploratory, and focused on a really warm sense of tone – in a mode that we might liken slightly to Stan Getz at his best moments from the same period, particularly the groove he developed in his post-Sweet Rain years. Other members of the quartet include David Williams on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – and tracks include "The Trip", "Sweet Love Of Mine", "Song For Richard", "Red Car", and "The Summer Knows". CD features 1 bonus track! CD

A great late live date from Art Pepper – as well-recorded and as strongly played as his best work of the time on Galaxy or Contemporary Records – and done with a similar group as well! The album's no cheapy concert for the overseas crowd – as Art's working here with George Cables on piano, David Williams on bass, and Carl Burnett on drums – all grooving tremendously on these long-flowing tracks that show the best late Pepper modes firmly at work. Echoes of Coltrane come through his horn, as does a bit of Latin as well – but there's also a soaring, soulful quality to most of the tunes that really stands out – thanks in part to Cables, whose piano is always well-placed throughout! Pepper has a wonderfully sharp tone on most numbers – and titles include "Landscape", "Red Car", "Goodbye", "Straight Life", "Road Waltz", "For Freddie", and "Body & Soul". CD

A double-length live set from Art Pepper – recorded quite late in his all-too-short life, but a really wonderful batch of material that shows he was still burning strong near the end! As with other Pepper material of this vintage, the tracks are all nice and long – very open and spacious, and dominated with the kind of soloing that Art Pepper hardly would have managed a few decades before – searing, searching lines that almost make the alto sound more like a tenor – with rhythm support from Milcho Leviv on piano, Bob Magnusson on bass, and Carl Burnett on drums. Titles include "Ophelia", "Blues For Blanche", "Mambo De La Pinta", "Patricia", "Cherokee", "Goodbye", and "Dedicated". CD

One of our favorite albums ever by Art Pepper – even if it isn't a proper album! The set features material recorded in the late 50s, pulled together to form an album in the early 70s – and overall, it's some of the best Art Pepper work on record we can think of. Pepper plays beautifully on 4 tracks with tenorist Warne Marsh, and the rest of the cuts features equally great accompaniment from the likes of Jimmy Bond, Dolo Coker, Philly Joe Jones, and Red Garland. The material on the album is far fresher than most of Pepper's so-called "classic" sessions, and it shows the edge and creativity of his alto playing in a way that few other albums ever do. We really recommend this one if you've ever been disappointed by another Pepper album – because there's a sharpness here that really comes through. Titles include "All the Things You Are", "What's New", "Autumn Leaves", and "The Man I Love". CD features 2 bonus tracks – alternates of "All The Things You Are" and "I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me". CD

A beautiful, late "with strings" session from Art Pepper – with piano by Stanley Cowell and Cecil McBee on bass! CD

Unusual stuff – just duets between Pepper's alto and the piano of George Cables – nice and intimate! CD

Art plays alto and Zoot plays tenor – other players include Barney Kessel on guitar, Victor Feldman on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. CD

Two albums with a very unusual pedigree – both recorded for the Japanese Yupiteru/Atlas Records label – both as Art Pepper sessions, but with Sonny Stitt in the lead – because Pepper was then under contract to Fantasy Records! Both albums are great, and have Art in some of the sharpest settings of his later years – as Sonny Stit's alto sax seems to bring out an even bolder tone in Pepper's horn – as does the approach of the record label, with is maybe a bit more focused than some of the freewheeling tracks from the Fantasy/Galaxy years. The groups feature Lou Levy or Russ Freeman on piano, John Heard or Chuck DeMonico on bass, and Carl Burnett on drums – and titles include "Walkin", "Wee", "Bernie's Tune", "Atlas Blues", "Lester Leaps In", "Imagination", "Autumn In New York", "My Funny Valentine", and "Lover Man". Also features four bonus alternate takes from the first album! CD

Way more than just a bebop revival album – thanks to a hip array of reedmen that includes Art Pepper, John Klemmer, Johnny Griffin, Joe Farrell, Harold Land, and Joe Henderson – and rhythm by a trio with Stanley Cowell on piano! LP, Vinyl record album

Great 70s issue of rare 50s material – a sweet small group with Shorty Rogers on trumpet and Art Pepper on alto! LP, Vinyl record album

Classic Art Pepper material, recorded in one of his comeback periods, and featuring the famous Richard Claxton photo of Art Holding his horn next to a tree. There's several different lineups featured, with a coupl of quintet and quartet sides, and a few with larger horn section, and the sidemen are the cream of the West coast jazz crop, including Bud Shank, Chet Baker, Curtis Counce, Leroy Vinnegar, Mel Lewis, Stan Levey and Lawrence Marable. 9 numbers in all, with rousing takes on standards like "What Is This Thing Called Love" and "A Foggy Day" and Pepper originals "Diane A Flow", "Zenobia", and "Powder Puff". CD

A nicely focused set from the great Art Pepper – a record that features a number of familiar bop and jazz themes, but set to a more open, relaxed, and very soulful style that wonderfully reflects all the greatness of Pepper in his final years! The group on the record is nicely understated, but still very hip – George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and Art gets plenty of space to step out front and really blow these amazing solos, including one number that features just bass and drums, while Pepper blows a bit of clarinet – which we always love. All other titles feature alto sax – and titles include "Donna Lee", "Anthropology", "You Go To My Head", "Body & Soul", and "Desafinado". CD

A New York album, but one that was oddly recorded in Burbank – and which has Art Pepper sounding very much at the top of his game! The format here is a bit like the other Artist House Pepper sessions, and those he did for the Japanese Atlas label – tight, focused, often tunes that are older jazz or bop standards – but swing with a great rhythm section, and topped with completely sublime alto solos from the leader! The quartet features Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums – but one number is a duo between Carter and Pepper, and another features just piano and alto. Titles include "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Duo Blues", "My Friend John", and "Straight No Chaser". CD features bonus tracks – a version of "Lover Man" with clarinet, the tune "Johnny's Blues", and three more alternate takes from the album! CD

Beautiful late work from Art Pepper – one of his albums recorded for the well-done Artist House label, and a set that's maybe got a different vibe than some of his Galaxy recordings of the time! There's a rock-solid sense of soul to the record – one that comes from the work of two different rhythm trios – one that features George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm trio who keep things swinging, but never in a way that's too straight – pushing Art a bit around the edges, but letting him come right down the middle with some fantastic solos on alto – the other with Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Tunes are a bit shorter than on some other albums of the period, but in a great way that really lets you focus in on Pepper's amazing sound –and titles include "Diane", "Stardust", "Blues For Blanche", and "Straight No Chaser". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – on titles that include "Valse Triste", "Goodbye", "Blues For Les" and "My Friend John". LP, Vinyl record album

A soaring later date from Art Pepper – recorded with excellent rhythm from the trio of Stanley Cowell on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – plus a bit of percussion from Kenneth Nash too! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic Art Pepper album – from his best period! The album's one of those smaller-label, mid 50s gems that Art cut in LA during some of his "troubled years" – all sessions that are great musically, but which are often overshadowed by some of Pepper's more famous work for bigger, more enduring labels. If you're at all a fan of Pepper, though, don't pass this one up – because the album's got a razor-sharp edge that's really wonderful – a keen exploration of tone that we'd rank right up there with a rare few Pepper albums of the time – and which is carried off here with an approach that's disarmingly easy-going, but very carefully placed on every note. Marty Paich's the real leader of the group on piano – even though we think Art's the star of the set – and bass is by Buddy Clark, and drums by Frank Capp. Titles include "Abstract Art", "All The Things You Are", "Marty's Blues", and "Pitfall". CD

Despite what you might guess from the title, the record's not a blues-based one – but a great little blowing session from an all-star array of players! It's our guess that Prestige chose to use the word "blues" in the title because "soul jazz" had yet to come into prominence – but the album's definitely a push of the hardbop blowing session mode in the soul jazz direction – using players that include Art Farmer, Idrees Sulieman, Jerome Richardson, Jimmy Forrest, Pepper Adams, Ray Bryant, and Tiny Grimes on a batch of longish tunes that have plenty of bluesy overtones. Arrangements here are by Jerry Valentine, who we don't really know – but he really gets the feel of the record right – and tracks include "Sent For You Yesterday", "Blue Flute", "Jelly Jelly", and "I Wanna Blow Blow Blow". CD