mspepper

A question I can't resist. I could write pages about music Art liked and didn't. Art's enjoyment of Doris Day and Steve Lawrence & Edye(sp) Gorme were things he kept hid, because he know they'd seem uncool to the hipness police. Of course, like most musicians, he loved Frank Sinatra. He loved Roberta Flack ("The Ballad of the Sad Young Men"), Bill Withers (he listened over and over to "Hello, Like Before"). I carried a walkman around (with MY preferences) when we toured, and handed it Art on a plane, once, so he could listen to Barbra Streisand sing "Evergreen," and it made him teary. Once he was on a bill with Earth Wind & Fire. Art said he wished he could play with them, even as he cracked up over all the equipment their roadies shoved onto the stage. He was once, years before I met him, invited to accompany the Beach Boys on tour, and was pissed when conditions of parole made it impossible. He always regretted it. He liked them. He liked Van Morrison. A lot. I'd bought a tape of "Tupelo Honey" and left it in the car, and Art listened to it over and over. He didn't like another favorite of mine, tho, James Taylor. When I asked him why, all he could say was that he thought he was boring. He liked Paul Simon. Once, standing in the wings of a show they were both on, Art congratulated Michael Brecker for his solo on on "Still Crazy." Brecker pooh poohed it, saying he was doing his David Sanborn imitation. After Brecker walked away, Art said, "Wow, what's the matter with that guy? I would have been proud to do that solo." He rarely commented on musicians, though. Of course he loved Miles, but for him it was mostly singers. He always regretted that he couldn't sing. I introduced him to Joni Mitchell's music and he liked her. He loved her vocalizing on "Woodstock." But I believe he offended her one night at Donte's in L.A. -- where she and a drummer she was hanging out with -- a friend of Art's; I can't remember his name (WAIT, John Guerin) -- came to see Art play. I wasn't there, but Art came home to tell me that he'd met Joni Mitchell and she was kind of snotty. I asked, "What did you say to her?" He said, "I told her, ' my wife really likes your music.'" "Why didn't you say YOU like her music?" He shrugged. I said, "Of course she was snotty. You insulted her, you fool."

Thanks, pal. I appreciate the appreciation. Really.

I see a lot of concern here about how much of the music has been released before. I've got to keep in mind that the people on this forum are serious fans and are familiar with everything released before by their favorites. I may have been too ambitious with this set, but let me tell you what my thinking was: There may be people who are not so familiar with the arc of Art as an artist. Who, despite his addictions and his self destructive tendencies, was inevitably and inherently an artist. I wanted to bear witness to his artistic journey and his growth. So, to build my case, I risked licensing and re-releasing the beautiful early stuff, in order to create a COMPLETE musical biography. I was inspired to do the project by the unreleased "Coltranesque" material from the rehearsal in 1964 (Disc 2). I first heard it several years ago at a presentation Ken Poston made at an L.A. Jazz Institute event. I was blown away by it. Blown away. Not only did I find it wonderful, I saw it as the missing link between early Art and the magnificent Art Pepper I heard when we toured. I see, even in this thread, that there are people who only like "early" Art, like early early, like 1950 - 1953! Well, we all have our musical tastes. Art liked all kinds of music. He liked Doris Day. He liked country music. He liked Oingo Boingo. And he idolized Ray Charles. As for me, I love everything Art did because it was so soulful. Always. And it always swung. I spent a lot of money putting this set together, and I fear it'll take a long long time to make it back. But what can I say, like always, I'm following my bliss. -Laurie

Art liked playing, period. Anywhere, anytime. He just wanted a crowd, because he worried about the club owner losing money and not having him back. He sometimes scolded crowds for being so small. Seriously. I had to remind him that the people he was scolding actually DID show up.

It WILL be re-released on LPs by Pure Pleasure Records in England. Thanks for the info, Laurie. Is there some reason why it's only getting a vinyl release since I'm sure that will mean a far smaller audience for what is a terrific recording. BTW I saw him live at Ronnie Scott's on the same tour and he was on fire; a really memorable occasion. Yes. I'll release it eventually on cd's, but right now I just can't afford to put out more than one album a year.

The price at CDBaby will be 20$. The price at Amazon will be higher, but there are vendors who buy in bulk from CD baby and can afford to charge less at Amazon. Even undercutting CDBaby sometimes.

It WILL be re-released on LPs by Pure Pleasure Records in England. Disc 1 has Art with Warne Marsh!!! But then - this is probably originally from Contemporary, and has already been released(?). Q Yes. It's the same track as on the Contemporary release. There is some stuff recorded at Donte's in L.A. when Warne sat in, but the quality is pretty ghastly.

I like Laurie too. I wish there were more widows in the position to promote their husband's music. JL, I don't get your reference to double entendre. I get that the releases selected by Laurie reflect her taste in Art's recordings. What other meaning are you thinking of? The phrase double entendre often refers to sexual imagery. Is there some sexual pun that I am too naive to pick up on? (Very possible, I know!) Yes, yes, it is a non-sexual double entendre. It means I want the money that the pirates are getting (my taste) and thereby put them out of business (fat chance). And it means this is the music (and the man) I love and think is well worth putting out as quality cds. As for the money, really folks, are you under the impression that a jazz label is a cash cow?! As jazz fans, you must know that a jazz label - especially these days - is a labor of love. When I set out to do this I only hoped to break even. If I were paid minimum wage for my time, I would have failed miserably at doing that. If I work for free & only include costs of mastering, manufacture, and shipping, I'm in the black, but if I had to live on what I earn from Widow's Taste, I'd be living on the streets. Whenever I think it's time to stop doing this, I look at the emails from impassioned fans and that excites me. Or I listen to some of the unreleased music and, an impassioned fan, myself, I feel as if it just has to be heard.

Ohhh, thanks Randy. Let's hear it for reality!

Yes, I think it was. I have the rights now. Meanwhile, I'll try to contact Jazz Journal. Thanks for the info! L.

Digitally only, for now. But best quality. With artwork and hopefully original liner note by Alun Morgan. But I need his permission. Anybody? (Meanwhile, look for next release on Widow's Taste: 3 Disc Set, The Art History Project. More soon)