
Art Pepper Quartet – Modern Art (Mono)
Alto Saxophone: Art Pepper [click here to see more vinyl featuring Art Pepper]
Piano: Russ Freeman
Bass: Ben Tucker
Drums: Chuck Flores
Written by Art Pepper (A1, A4-5, B4), Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart (A2), Larry Shay, Mark Fisher, Joe Goodwin (A3), Edgar Sampson, Chick Webb, Benny Goodman, Andy Razaf (B1), Cole Porter (B3)
1 LP, standard sleeve
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33RPM
Size : 12”
Mono
Studio
Record Press : RTI
Label : Blue Note Tone Poet
Original Label : Intro Records
Recorded on December 28, 1956, and January 14, 1957, at Radio Recorders and Master Recorders, Los Angeles, CA
Engineered by Bunny Robine, Thorne Nogar
Original session produced by Donald D. Clark
Reissue produced by Joe Harley
Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
Photography by Ray Avery
Cover design and Liner Notes by Donald D. Clark
Originally Released in 1957
Reissued in 2025
Tracks :
Side A:
- Blues In
- Bewitched
- When You're Smiling
- Cool Bunny
Side B:
- Stompin' at the Savoy
- Diane's Dilemma
- What Is This Thing Called Love?
- Blues Out
Review :
“A loose, free blowing session which provides most of its kicks from Pepper‘s obvious eagerness to say something. There is little here in the way of form (when it is utilized, as on Dilemma, it just gets in the way).
He best gets his legs under him on Blues In and Out, which actually is nearly 10 straight minutes of Art crying out his story, accompanied only by Tucker, split into two sections.
He is at once moving and sobbing and laughing and protesting, as if playing all alone in a dark, empty hall. Despite the flaws and slips that are almost inevitable in an entirely improvised speech of this length, it is a memorable performance.
Pepper has seemingly found his voice. He could well be the most important altoist about today – he has something to say and the means with which to express it.
Accompaniment is most able, with Tucker showing why he is gaining so much respect among the west coasters who have heard him, Freeman soloing well in addition to background duties, and Flores relying mainly upon firm but unostentatious brushwork to move the group along.
Recommended chiefly for the salty Pepper, however.” Down Beat Review by Jack Tracy
Rating:
Discogs 4.28 / 5