Art Pepper
Live In The USA
Storyville Records
www.storyvillerecords.com

Art Pepper
Live In Japan
Storyville Records
www.storyvillerecords.com
By George W. Harris

If you’re an Art Pepper fan (and if you’re not, shame on you!), then
you’re aware of the surfeit of material that the late musician’s wife
has been putting out the past few years. Some of it has been musically
and historically important, but almost all of it covers only the last
few years of the alto player’s life, when his breath was in short
supply, his playing more chopped (yet passionate) and his tone much
rougher. This pair of 2cd sets finds Pepper in better health, sound and
form; the US dates are from California in 1975 and 77, while the single
night in Japan is from 1978.
What’s most pleasing about these two sets is that the supporting team
is quite diverse, making for intriguing listening. The ’75 set from Los
Altos, CA, has Pepper in front of an unorthodox team with Fred
Atwood/b, Jimmie Smith/dr and the accordion of Tommy Gumina, who made
his name with Buddy DeFranco. Gumina’s an intriguing foil for Pepper’s
alto on the lithe “Foothill Blues” and “I’ll Remember April,” while
Pepper is caliente on “Cherokee.” A more standard band of Smith
Dobson/p, Jim Nichols/b and Bill Bilhorn/dr show up at Half Moon Bay,
CA for a sizzling Pepper on “A Night In Tunisia” and bluesy “The Trip.”

The Japan concert is almost an hour and half of gloriously toned Pepper
leading a band with Micho Leviev/p, Bob Magnusson/b and Carl Burnett/dr
through a well paced set. The moody and expressive “Besame Mucho”
sounds more like John Coltrane’s “Equinox,” with some modal solos
stretching like Turkish Taffy. Leviev shows some impressive chops on
the 15 minute “Red Car,” and Pepper dazzles with glistening tone on
Michael Legrand’s graceful “The Summer Knows.” Sound quality Is mostly
excellent, and considering that this style of jazz was verboten by the
times (when fusion was king), you’ve got to admire the moxie, muscle
and musical determination of Art Pepper. Great stuff.