Art Pepper facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Art Pepper
Pepper in Los Angeles, 1979
Background information
Birth name	Arthur Edward Pepper Jr.
Born	(1925-09-01)September 1, 1925 Gardena, California, U.S.
Died	June 15, 1982(1982-06-15) (aged 56) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Jazz West Coast jazz cool jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Saxophone clarinet
Years active	1946–1982
Labels	Savoy Discovery Pacific Jazz Contemporary Fresh Sound Galaxy Xanadu Intro Score
Associated acts	Stan Kenton Shorty Rogers Chet Baker Hoagy Carmichael Buddy Rich Johnny Griffin Elvin Jones Freddie Hubbard Zoot Sims Red Garland Paul Chambers Philly Joe Jones Mel Lewis Wynton Kelly Jimmy Cobb Billy Higgins

Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American alto saxophonist and very occasional tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. Active in West Coast jazz, Pepper came to prominence in Stan Kenton's big band. He was known for his emotionally charged performances and several stylistic shifts throughout his career, and was described by critic Scott Yanow as having "attained his goal of becoming the world's great altoist" at the time of his death.

Early life
Career
Personal life
Discography
- As leader
- As sideman
Transcriptions
See also

Early life

Art Pepper was born in Gardena, California, United States. When Pepper was still quite young, he was sent to live with his paternal grandmother. He expressed early musical interest and talent, and he was given lessons. He began playing clarinet at nine, switched to alto saxophone at 13, and immediately began jamming on Central Avenue, the black nightclub district of Los Angeles.

Career

At the age of 17, he began playing professionally with Benny Carter and then became part of the Stan Kenton orchestra, touring with that band until he was drafted in 1943. After the war, he returned to Los Angeles, and joined the Kenton Innovations Orchestra. By the 1950s, Pepper was recognized as one of the leading alto saxophonists in jazz, finishing second only to Charlie Parker as Best Alto Saxophonist in the DownBeat magazine Readers Poll of 1952. Along with Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, and Shelly Manne, and perhaps due more to geography than playing style, Pepper is often associated with the musical movement known as West Coast jazz, as contrasted with the East Coast (or "hot") jazz of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. Some of Pepper's best known albums from the 1950s are Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section, Art Pepper + Eleven – Modern Jazz Classics, Gettin' Together, and Smack Up. Other recordings from this time appear on The Aladdin Recordings (three volumes), The Early Show, The Late Show, Surf Ride, and Art Pepper with Warne Marsh (also issued as The Way It Was!), which features a session recorded with Warne Marsh.

His career was repeatedly interrupted by several prison stints. Remarkably, his legal travails did not affect the quality of his recordings, which maintained a high level of musicianship throughout his career until his death in 1982.

His last comeback saw Pepper, who had started his career in Stan Kenton's big band, becoming a member of Buddy Rich's Big Band from 1968 to 1969. In the mid-1970s, he toured Europe and Japan with his own groups and recorded many albums, mostly for Galaxy Records, a subsidiary of Fantasy Records., Pepper's later albums include Living Legend, Art Pepper Today, Among Friends, and Live in Japan.

Personal life

Pepper lived for many years in the hills of Echo Park, in Los Angeles. His career was interrupted by prison sentences connected with illegal substances in 1954–56, 1960–61, 1961–64, and 1964–65; the final two sentences were served in San Quentin. While in San Quentin, he played in an ensemble with saxophonist Frank Morgan. In the late 1960s, Pepper spent time in Synanon, a rehabilitation program that turned out to be a cult.

His autobiography, Straight Life (1980, co-written with his third wife Laurie Pepper), discusses the jazz music world, as well as criminal subcultures of mid-20th century California. Soon after the publication of this book, director Don McGlynn released the documentary film Art Pepper: Notes from a Jazz Survivor, discussing his life and featuring interviews with both Art and his wife Laurie, as well as footage from a live performance in a Malibu jazz club. Laurie Pepper also released an interview to NPR.

Pepper died of a stroke in Los Angeles on June 15, 1982, aged 56. He is interred in the Abbey of the Psalms Mausoleum in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood.

Discography

Stan Kenton, Eddie Safranski, Shelly Manne, Chico Alvarez, Ray Wetzel, Harry Betts, Bob Cooper, and Art Pepper (second from right), 1947 or 1948

As leader

Surf Ride (Savoy, 1956) – recorded in 1952–54
Two Altos with Sonny Red (Regent, 1959) – recorded in 1952–54
The Return of Art Pepper with Jack Sheldon (Jazz West, 1956)
Playboys with Chet Baker and Phil Urso (Pacific Jazz, 1956) – reissued as Picture of Heath
The Art Pepper Quartet (Tampa, 1957) – recorded in 1956
Collections with Red Norvo, Joe Morello and Gerry Wiggins (Intro, 1957)
Modern Art (Intro, 1957) – recorded in 1956-57
Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section (Contemporary, 1957)
Art Pepper + Eleven – Modern Jazz Classics (Contemporary, 1959)
Gettin' Together with Conte Candoli (Contemporary, 1960)
Smack Up with Jack Sheldon (Contemporary, 1960)
Intensity (Contemporary, 1963) – recorded in 1960
Art Pepper Quartet in San Francisco (Fresh Sound, 1964) – live
Art Pepper Quintet : Live at Donte's 1968 with Joe Romano (Fresh Sound, 1968) – live
The Art of Pepper (Onyx, 1974) – recorded in 1957
Garden State Jam Sessions Bootleg (Lone Hill Jazz, 1975) – live
I'll Remember April : Live at Foothill College (Storyville, 1975)
Living Legend (Contemporary, 1975)
The Trip (Contemporary, 1976)
A Night in Tunisia (Storyville, 1977) – live
Tokyo Debut (Galaxy, 1977) – live. also released as First Live in Japan.
No Limit (Contemporary, 1977)
Thursday Night at the Village Vanguard (Contemporary, 1977) – live
Friday Night at the Village Vanguard (Contemporary, 1977) – live
Saturday Night at the Village Vanguard (Contemporary, 1977) – live
More for Les at the Village Vanguard (Contemporary, 1977) – live
Live in Japan, Vol. 1: Ophelia (Storyville, 1978)
Live in Japan, Vol. 2 (Storyville, 1978)
Among Friends (Interplay, 1978)
Art Pepper Today (Galaxy, 1978)
Landscape (Galaxy, 1979) – live
Besame Mucho (Galaxy, 1979) – live
Straight Life (Galaxy, 1979)
So in Love (Artists House, 1980) – recorded in 1979
One September Afternoon (Galaxy, 1980)
Winter Moon with Howard Roberts (Galaxy, 1981) – recorded in 1980
Roadgame (Galaxy, 1982) – live recorded in 1981
Goin' Home with George Cables (Galaxy, 1982)
Darn That Dream (Real Time, 1982)
Art Lives (Galaxy, 1983) – live recorded in 1981
Tête-à-Tête with George Cables (Galaxy, 1983) – recorded in 1982
Artworks (Galaxy, 1984) – recorded in 1979
APQ (Galaxy, 1984) – live recorded in 1981
New York Album (Galaxy, 1985) – recorded in 1979
Stardust (Victor (Japan), 1985) – recorded in 1979
Art Pepper with Warne Marsh (Contemporary, 1986) – recorded in 1956. reissued tracks from The Way It Was! (1972).
Tokyo Encore (Dreyfus, 1991) – live recorded in 1979
Arthur's Blues (Galaxy, 1991) – live recorded in 1981
Art in L.A. (WestWind, 1991)[2CD] – recorded in 1957-60
Live in Japan: The Summer Knows (Absord (Japan), 1994) – live
Art 'n' Zoot with Zoot Sims (Pablo, 1995) – live recorded in 1981
Art Pepper with Duke Jordan in Copenhagen 1981 with Duke Jordan (Galaxy, 1996) – live recorded in 1981
San Francisco Samba (Contemporary, 1997) – live recorded in 1977
Unreleased Art, Vol. 1–10 (Widow's Taste, 2006- )

As sideman

With Chet Baker

The Route with Richie Kamuca (Pacific Jazz, 1956)
Chet Baker Big Band (Pacific Jazz, 1956)

With Toni Harper

Lady Lonely (RCA, 1959)
Night Mood (RCA, 1960)

With Stan Kenton

Stan Kenton's Milestones (Capitol, 1950) – recorded in 1943–47
Stan Kenton Classics (Capitol, 1952) – recorded in 1944–47
Encores (Capitol, 1947)
A Presentation of Progressive Jazz (Capitol, 1947)
Innovations in Modern Music (Capitol, 1950)
Stan Kenton Presents (Capitol, 1950)
Popular Favorites by Stan Kenton (Capitol, 1953)
This Modern World (Capitol, 1953)
The Kenton Era (Capitol, 1955) – recorded in 1940–54
The Innovations Orchestra (Capitol, 1997) – recorded in 1950–51

With Milcho Leviev

Blues for the Fisherman (Mole, 1980) – live
True Blues (Mole, 1980) – live

With Shorty Rogers

Modern Sounds (Capitol, 1952)[10"] – recorded in 1951
Shorty Rogers and His Giants (RCA Victor, 1953)[10"]
Cool and Crazy (RCA Victor, 1953)[10"]
The Swingin' Nutcracker (RCA Victor, 1960)
Popo (Xanadu, 1980) – recorded in 1951

With others

Jesse Belvin, Mr. Easy (RCA, 1960) – recorded in 1959
Hoagy Carmichael, Hoagy Sings Carmichael (Pacific Jazz, 1957) – recorded in 1956
Dolo Coker, California Hard with Blue Mitchell (Xanadu, 1977) – recorded in 1976
Richie Cole, Return to Alto Acres (Palo Alto, 1982)
Conte Candoli, Mucho Calor with Bill Perkins, Russ Freeman, Ben Tucker, Chuck Flores, Jack Costanzo and Mike Pacheko (Andex/VSOP, 1957)
Herb Ellis and Jimmy Giuffre, Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre (Verve, 1959)
Art Farmer, On the Road (Contemporary, 1976)
Jerry Fielding, The Gauntlet (Warner Bros., 1978) – Soundtrack recorded in 1977
Johnny Griffin, Birds and Ballads (Galaxy, 1978)
Freddie Hubbard, Mistral (East World, 1981) – recorded in 1980
Elvin Jones, Very R.A.R.E. (Trio (Japan), 1980) – recorded in 1979
Barney Kessel, Some Like It Hot (Contemporary, 1959)
Shelly Manne, The West Coast Sound (Contemporary, 1956) – recorded in 1953-55
Jack Nitzsche, Heart Beat (Capitol, 1980) – Soundtrack
Anita O'Day, Cool Heat (Verve, 1959)
Marty Paich, The Marty Paich Quartet featuring Art Pepper (Tampa/VSOP, 1956)
André Previn, The Subterraneans (MGM, 1960) – soundtrack
Buddy Rich Big Band, Mercy, Mercy (Pacific Jazz, 1968) – live

Transcriptions

Published transcriptions:

Jazz Styles and Analysis: Alto Sax by Harry Miedema. Chicago, Fifth Printing, February 1979. Includes Broadway.
Straight Life: the Story of Art Pepper by Art Pepper and Laurie Pepper. New York and London, 1979. ISBN: 0-02-871820-8. Includes the head of Straight Life.
Jazz 2: Sax Alto. Transcribed by John Robert Brown. International Music Publications, Woodford Green, Essex, 1986. ISBN: 0-86359-408-5. Includes 'Round Midnight.
The Genius of Art Pepper. Foreword by Laurie Pepper. North Sydney, Warner/Chappell Music, 1987. ISBN: 1-86362-012-5. Includes: Arthur's Blues; Blues for Blanche; Funny Blues; Landscape; Make a List Make a Wish; Mambo de la Pinta; Mambo Koyama; Mr Big Falls his J.G. Hand; Our Song; Road Game; September Song; Tete a Tete. All transcriptions include parts for Alto and Rhythm; Funny Blues also has a part for Trumpet.
Masters of the Alto Saxophone Play The Blues. Jazz Alto Solos. Transcribed by Trent Kynaston and Jonathan Ball. Corybant Productions, 1990. Includes True Blues.
The Art Pepper Collection. Foreword by Jeff Sultanof. Milwaukee, Hal Leonard, 1995. ISBN: 0-7935-4007-0. Includes: Art's Oregano; Diane; Landscape; Las Cuevas de Mario; Make a List (Make a Wish); Mr. Big Falls his J.G. Hand; Ophelia; Pepper Returns; Sometime; Straight Life; Surf Ride(I); Surf Ride(II); That's Love; The Trip; Waltz Me Blues.
West Coast Jazz Saxophone Solos transcribed and edited by Robert A. Luckey, Ph.D. Features 15 recorded solos from 1952 to 1961, including five solos by Art Pepper. Olympia Music Publishing, 1996. ISBN: 0-9667047-1-1.

Transcriptions available on the Internet:

Anthropology
Birk's Works
Groovin' High
Red Pepper Blues
Star Eyes
The Way You Look Tonight
Too Close For Comfort
What Is This Thing Called Love?
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To