Leeway

Well, I wasn't looking to earn any "points," but I did want to make the point that if you are going to dish it out, you've got to take some too. The insult to Italians was simply gratuitously made, but I see some of my Germanic tribesmen have pretty thin skin after all.

Hey, it's my pleasure and duty to do so. I just want to keep our Teutonic friends honest on things like this . I believe a little "push back" is a healthy and necessary corrective to some of their, er, tendencies. Truly, though, nothing personal!

Sounds like a good program to me I suppose Germans break a sweat watching their imported Turks do all the heavy lifting?

It was McPherson's "Free Bop!" which I just picked up that got me to start this thread.

I wasn't referring to Switzerland, but to Germany, from which Mikeweil hails (or is that "heils" ). I know that, but Italy entered the war on Germany's side on June 10, 1940, and German troosp later occupied Italy, and that's what I was thinking of. Those Italian remarks, especially coming from a German, strike me as pretty tasteless. Odd, too, as I read a survey recently, that Germans change their underwear the fewest times per week of any European nation. I also read another survey where the biggest workplace complaint voiced by German workers was the body odor of their co-workers. My guess is that the Italian side of the Alps probably pick up a lot of trash from those visitors to the north. Just kiddin, of course B-)

I agree with Larry Kart, but much of Art's early work is the coolest, bebopingest playing you are likely to hear from that period. Smooth (or maybe fuid would be a better term) AND swinging. I also agree with Wolff's comments about Art's ballad playing, which is superb, and which is a hallmark of the later phase of his career. They are so emotionally honest and compelling, I think very few jazzers can match him in this category. For purely beautiful ballad playing, I recommend "Winter Moon," which is Art with strings, but don't let the string thing put you off; it's all beautifully and honestly done. Other favorite Art albums? Let's hear about them.

I've picked up a number of Xanadu LPs recently, which got me curious about the history of the label. I know that Don Schlitten founded and operated it, although don't know much more than that. I found an online Xanadu discography (to which our own Chck Nessa contributed): Xanadu Discography Looks like there are a lot of good albums that went away with the label. How much of this was picked up on other labels? Or is currently available? Also, are there any particularly strong dates in the Xanadu catalog worth dearching out?

First of all, I'd ask: why do you want to replace what you have? Then: what do you hope to get in your new system? Then: how much are you willing to pay for it? Then: where are local dealers who can give me a chance to do some listening? Then: what do I like from what I've heard? You need to ask yourself these questions. When you have all the answers, you are ready to buy. Good luck.

Rockin in the USA: Ginger Baker takes a lot of knocks, some well-deserved no doubt, but I always liked Cream, and Blind Faith, for that army of drummers (or maybe it was Army Drummer) effect that Baker gave And: From America's greatest rock group.

Boy, haven't heard that kind of attitude since, oh, about 1941-1945.

Charles McPherson - FREE BOP Xanadu Records, 1978. "OUT FRONT" - A great, great album, with Booker Little, Eric Dolphy, Julian Priester, and Max Roach. Barnaby/Candid Records. I think this is a 1977 re-issue. Leon Thomas - "FULL CIRCLE" - Flying Dutchman Records.

An Official Happy Birthday Wish from the Nation's Capital: I can't imagine why anyone would trade DC for San Francisco . May your iPOD battery always be on full charge

Nate, that could be the case. I can't recall what Art or Laurie might have said about it in "Straight Life" but in the liner notes Art wrote for "No Limit" (January 1, 1978), he says he wrote "Rita-San" for Laurie, "whose middle name is Rita." Art goes on to say: "I've always had an affinity for this kind of tune, and I'm glad jazz fans are opening up to it now." There's another Latin-samba number on "No Limit," "Mambo de la Pinta," which Art says "is a tune I wrote for the guys in the joint, 'la Pinta', a long, long time ago." Art offers a lot of insights into his playing and his musical thinking in the liner notes of "No Limit."

A good place to check on things relating to Art Pepper, including discography, is: The Art of Pepper Web Site

Wolff, I hope you'll contribute some of your thoughts on Art Pepper to the AOW.

Yep, she said it was a very important present for a friend. Hey, that was a good shot wasn't it At one time I was selling a lot of books on Ebay. I put up a railroad book, a memoir of a railroad line, it was signed by one of the authors. Probably a $45-50 book, but it ended up selling for $220. Turned out to be a Christmas present for a woman's dad, who worked on the railroad. I hope he liked it. I know I did

Africa Brass: I think these are valuable insights. For many years I had a serious book addiction. I broke it by developing a jazz, and especially a jazz LP, addiction (not to mention many classical LPs as well). Basically, changed addictions. Now I'm tapering off on all these addictions. (Although I bought 28 jazz LPs today for $160). I'm trying for a methadone level of addiction B-) . It DOES get to be too much. And when it does, it is no longer fun. At this point, I'm selling off books and CDs that don't hold me. I hope to end up with a core collection of items I love, not just have accumulated.

I wonder if it is meant for a Christmas present? A lot of people jump onto Ebay at this time of the year in order to get a gift for someone else.

Haven't had much time for spinning vinyl until this afternoon: Blue label, black "b" Blue label, black "b" RCA. A difficult personality (check out the unsmiling portraits on the front and back of the sleeve) but a great singer. Toshiba Japan pressing.

“Straight Life” – recorded September 21, 1979 at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California. Art Pepper, alto sax; Tommy Flanagan, piano; Red Mitchell, bass; Billy Higgins, drums. Kenneth Nash on cowbell and “reco-reco” on “Make a Wish” only. The album opens with “Surf Ride,” a tune Art recorded early on, and then at various points in his career. This track is 6:57 in length. This is a fast tempo, swinging number. Flanagan, Mitchell solo effectively, Higgins adding some sharp punctuation. The feeling is upbeat throughout but Art wraps it up on a somewhat melancholy note; the “ride” is over. A 1953 version (on the CD “Surf Ride”), recorded either on March 29, 1953, or March 4, 1952, wit Russ Freeman on piano, Bob Whitlock, (b), and Bobby White (d), is only 2:51 in length. This early version has much more interplay between Freeman and Pepper- a nice, lively back and forth. In contrast, Flanagan doesn’t offer Pepper that kind of rapport. Pepper’s playing shows more sophistication, a fuller range of expression. Flanagan, I think, is a more sophisticated pianist here than Freeman and matches Pepper’s playing, but doesn’t match Freeman’s enthusiasm and sense of high spirits. The long solos by Flanagan and Mitchell stretch the piece further than it should go, probably. The second cut is “Nature Boy,” a ballad. Art was a master of the ballad form. Starts with a soft piano intro, then Pepper comes in low on the sax, and Mitchell bass line underscores the melancholy feel, while Higgins brushwork lends an air of hushed intensity. Art continues to burrow deep into the feeling of this piece. I always consider a piece like this Art’s “soliloquy.” At the mid-point, Flanagan offers a lyrical, tender solo that matches the feeling Art has created. I think Flanagan comes into his own here. Mitchell follows Flanagan, with a heavily plucked bass solo. [i’d be interested in views on Mitchell as a bass player.] Art then comes in. Art always gives the feeling in a piece like this that he is performing a kind of spiritual surgery on himself. Harrowing, yet beautiful. This is my favorite track on the album. The third cut is “Straight Life.” Another mid to fast tempo number. Art and Billy Higgins pretty much carry this piece; there is a lot of interplay between them. Compare this to the performance on “Tokyo Encore,” also a 1979 performance, where George Cables is on piano (and Higgins is still in the drum chair). Cables takes a more active role, mostly comping at the start, and an extended solo about midway in. There is less direct interaction between Pepper and Higgins at the start, although Higgins provides lively support, and there is some good interaction between them to close out the number. Both versions are really pretty good. I think the live version might have the edge. I always thought this number a bit odd in being lively without being particularly happy or joyous. The fourth track, “September Song,” as low to mid-tempo number. I think Art shows great expressiveness in this number, from ruminative, to lyrical , to keen and urgent wailing. Great timing, great sense of space, nice use of rhythmic variations. Flanagan has a nice solo, else provides some sufficient comping. Mitchell also has a good solo and plays strongly throughout this piece. I get the feeling that Mitchell is much more in the groove, he’s right there with Art throughout. The fifth track, “”Make a List (Make a Wish) has a Latin or samba groove. Art loved this type of music, and, offhand, I would say most, if not all, the later albums have something in this vein, for example, “Samba Mom-Mom,” “Mambo De La Pinta” etc). It’s a fun, sensual, groove, both languorous and energized at the same time. What I like about Art’s samba numbers is that they avoid that “jazz lite” groove so many jazz players fall into when doing bossa or other Latin numbers. This is samba after you’ve drunk the worm. The piece is driven by Art and the percussion section. The last track on the CD, “Long Ago and Far Away,” did not appear on the original LP, and, unfortunately, but not surprisingly, is, I think, the weakest cut on the album. A mid to fast tempo number, it doesn’t really make much of an impression. Pepper liked to work with a pianist, and he worked with many fine ones, but this match-up doesn’t work as well as one would expect. I’ve always liked Pepper with Russ Freeman and Hampton Hawes, and Pepper himself developed a close rapport with George Cables. I read that Pepper spent hours working with Flanagan before the actual recording session, as Flanagan was having a hard time with Pepper’s arrangements, and there is a sense here that the pianist and Pepper weren’t quite on the same groove, except for “Nature Boy.” As for Mitchell, I think Art liked working with strong bass players, and Mitchell pushes hard in these numbers. This is already an overly long post, so I will wrap up on a couple of notes. Listening to Art playing, it struck me that, whereas a lot of alto players like to play like tenors (and Art played tenor for a while), Art likes to play alto like a clarinetist (and he was an excellent clarinetist as well). Anyway, please offer comments, pro or con, on this or any other Art Pepper album, or about Pepper as person or artist.

That's because it costs $15 for a burger in freakin' TGI Friday's in Times Square. Yecch! Only tourists go there anyway. In the spirit of New York - screw 'em The carts in DC do sell chili dogs, some better than others. Which location in the country has the best chili dogs?

This might have to do with Nathan's going the franchise route, which deteriorated the product name and image. I'm glad to hear that the original Nathan's is still offering a tasty product. Another up and comer on the NY hotdog scene si Papaya King. Excellent dogs. Still, there's something intrinsically New York about walking up to an umbrella cart and getting "a dog" with mustard, sauerkraut, cooked onion, or relish. Last I checked, no chili dogs east of the Hudson. The NYC hot dog vendors are geting firece competition from carts selling shish-kebabs, souvlaki, chicken pitas. NY is all about street food. I love that. I'm getting hurngry.

Ok, let's have the gory details, or at least a link

Thanks "Filthy" (or should I say McNasty ) for making your first board post in this thread - and welcome to Organissimo. Looking forward to your thoughts on Art. I expect to contribute a more detailed review of "Straight Life" tomorrow and go from there.