Art Pepper - The Complete Maiden Voyage Recordings

[mjzee]

Release date October 20:

• The complete recordings from Art Pepper’s three-night stand at Los Angeles’ Maiden Voyage club in 1981 • 42 performances (23 previously unissued) on seven CDs • Packaging contains Art’s original handwritten notes, photos, and an essay from his widow and set co-Producer, Laurie Pepper When I asked Cheryl Pawelski, of Omnivore Recordings, why she was releasing this Maiden Voyage session, she said, “Because you made me.” I did. This material has been out of circulation for almost 20 years, and I’ve been obsessed with bringing it back in. Omnivore is not only bringing it back, they’re releasing the entire session, three nights, seven sets––warts and all. ––Laurie Pepper Maiden Voyage was a Japanese-owned jazz club, near MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, from 1979¬¬–1983. In August of 1981, alto saxophone legend Art Pepper, pianist George Cables, bassist David Williams, and drummer Carl Burnett played seven sets over three consecutive nights. Musician/Producer Ed Michel and Art’s wife, Laurie Pepper, were there, and tape rolled for every note played. When listening to the tapes, Art took meticulous notes about each performance, writing things like “The best solo I’ve played on this whole date—wow!!” and ”This is worth the whole night!” Sadly, Art would die 10 months later. Some of the performances would find their way onto posthumous releases including Arthur’s Blues, Art Lives, The Maiden Voyage Sessions, Vol. 3, Roadgame and The Complete Galaxy Recordings, but now, all three nights can be heard in full, as they happened, for the first time. Produced for release by Laurie Pepper and Grammy® winner Cheryl Pawelski, The Complete Maiden Voyage Recordings features 42 performances (23 previously unissued) plus all of the between song banter and stories from Art’s three-night stand at the Los Angeles club on seven CDs. The 44-page booklet features photos, Art’s original hand written notes and commentary, ephemera, and a new essay from Laurie Pepper telling Art’s story. So, prepare yourself for a true LA jazz club experience. Venture back to Maiden Voyage and relive those three summer nights when Art and his band gave it their all. As Art said in his notes about “Thank You Blues,” “My whole life went into this.” Hear it for yourself.

[felser]

Sounds interesting for sure, but at $100 too rich for my blood, considering how much other late Pepper I own, including the Village Vanguard and Galaxy boxes.

Edited September 11, 2023 by felser

[John L]

Yes.  As much as I love Art Pepper, the four CDs of music from the Maiden Voyage gig on the Galaxy box are already overkill for me. 

[HutchFan]

IMO, the music from Pepper's 1981 engagement at the Maiden Voyage is outstanding, some of the very best from his later years.

However -- since I already own the three Galaxy LPs (plus Arthur's Blues on CD) -- I'll most likely pass on this set.  . . . I'm assuming that most (if not all) of the unreleased cuts are alternate takes of tunes that have already been issued.  If that's not the case, I might spring for it.

 

[mjzee]

Often, there's a coherency from listening to a concert or club date as it occurred, from beginning to end, as opposed to hearing particular tracks as an album.  Although I have the released material on The Complete Galaxy Recordings, I'm considering purchasing this box.

[tranemonk]

8 hours ago, mjzee said:

Often, there's a coherency from listening to a concert or club date as it occurred, from beginning to end, as opposed to hearing particular tracks as an album.  Although I have the released material on The Complete Galaxy Recordings, I'm considering purchasing this box.

I might have one or two of the previous releases and the Galaxy but I'm with you. It is worth it to have the entire thing in one coherent package (with hopefully improved sound). I'm in.

21 hours ago, mjzee said:

Release date October 20:

• The complete recordings from Art Pepper’s three-night stand at Los Angeles’ Maiden Voyage club in 1981 • 42 performances (23 previously unissued) on seven CDs • Packaging contains Art’s original handwritten notes, photos, and an essay from his widow and set co-Producer, Laurie Pepper When I asked Cheryl Pawelski, of Omnivore Recordings, why she was releasing this Maiden Voyage session, she said, “Because you made me.” I did. This material has been out of circulation for almost 20 years, and I’ve been obsessed with bringing it back in. Omnivore is not only bringing it back, they’re releasing the entire session, three nights, seven sets––warts and all. ––Laurie Pepper Maiden Voyage was a Japanese-owned jazz club, near MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, from 1979¬¬–1983. In August of 1981, alto saxophone legend Art Pepper, pianist George Cables, bassist David Williams, and drummer Carl Burnett played seven sets over three consecutive nights. Musician/Producer Ed Michel and Art’s wife, Laurie Pepper, were there, and tape rolled for every note played. When listening to the tapes, Art took meticulous notes about each performance, writing things like “The best solo I’ve played on this whole date—wow!!” and ”This is worth the whole night!” Sadly, Art would die 10 months later. Some of the performances would find their way onto posthumous releases including Arthur’s Blues, Art Lives, The Maiden Voyage Sessions, Vol. 3, Roadgame and The Complete Galaxy Recordings, but now, all three nights can be heard in full, as they happened, for the first time. Produced for release by Laurie Pepper and Grammy® winner Cheryl Pawelski, The Complete Maiden Voyage Recordings features 42 performances (23 previously unissued) plus all of the between song banter and stories from Art’s three-night stand at the Los Angeles club on seven CDs. The 44-page booklet features photos, Art’s original hand written notes and commentary, ephemera, and a new essay from Laurie Pepper telling Art’s story. So, prepare yourself for a true LA jazz club experience. Venture back to Maiden Voyage and relive those three summer nights when Art and his band gave it their all. As Art said in his notes about “Thank You Blues,” “My whole life went into this.” Hear it for yourself.

Is this going to be released on Bandcamp?

[mjzee]

47 minutes ago, tranemonk said:

Is this going to be released on Bandcamp?

Dunno; I found it on Amazon.

[Eric]

Sucker for any late period live Pepper and I like the way Omnivore does things.  Wonder if this could be a future Record Store Day vinyl release? 

[tranemonk]

On 9/10/2023 at 11:10 PM, felser said:

Sounds interesting for sure, but at $100 too rich for my blood, considering how much other late Pepper I own, including the Village Vanguard and Galaxy boxes.

Importcds has it for $72....

[felser]

2 minutes ago, tranemonk said:

Importcds has it for $72....

They are often great for box sets like this, though shipping can be delayed.

[tranemonk]

Just listened to Roadgame again.. Even though I have the Galaxy set ... there's still more than half of the material that's new... It's worth it to me... Can't wait!

[Eric]

In the house - can't wait to listen:

 

[mjzee]

9 minutes ago, Eric said:

In the house - can't wait to listen:

 

Enjoy.  Let us know if he has any wild raps in-between tunes.

[Ken Dryden]

Arrived today, but there are stacks ahead of it right now.

[Eric]

13 hours ago, mjzee said:

Enjoy.  Let us know if he has any wild raps in-between tunes.

So far just spent time burning to my hard drive and examining the book.

The book is really fantastic - large (not oversized), easy to read and full of pictures and comments from Laurie.  Lots of discussion around Art's relationship with the band members and love for the guys, especially George Cables.

The coolest part is photos of the tape boxes set beside Art's hand written notes for some of the tracks.

Just listened to a few tracks - based on Art's comments.  Scintillating - but then I am an Art freak 😍

Edited October 21, 2023 by Eric

[AllenLowe]

I have gone through five stages with later Art Pepper:

1) I met and spent time with him when he came to Boston on his comeback tour, loved the guy, escorted him around town, and thought he was fantastic that night, though I noticed some oddness to his playing. He gave me a few copies of his current LPs which took me to

2) being frustrated with the recordings. He seemed to be working too hard to sound "contemporary" in a sort of post-early Coltrane way. A lot of stops and starts that just were dull in their ineffective tonal tangents. A "scream" here, a pounded note there, as though he was telling people "yes I have heard jazz in the last 20 years and here is my interpretation."  But he was always best when he changed back to his linear style which, as with that night in Boston, had intensified and focused itself in profound ways. But it never lasted; I could not listen to these LPs, which bored and frustrated me; so

3) I stopped listening. There was just too much wrong with his current approach, which had substituted a kind of emotional self-expose while losing the true intensity of linear development. It was raw but it was not really revealing or indicative of any true artistic epiphany, but then....

4) Some years later I went back and started listening again, to the Vanguard CDs, another with Duke Jordan, and I heard moments of real personal revelation, so I started listening again, enjoying myself until....

5) His personal history and artistic mis-advantures just started to repeat themselves; blues cliches substituting for real expression (and I do wonder if some of his personal racial self consciousness was starting to act in artistically self destructive ways), the same retreat into false tonal and harmonic exploration, just a weird kind of near-narcissistic emotional self-abuse. And now listening to a clip from one of these sessions, I feel like I cannot listen any more.

Edited October 21, 2023 by AllenLowe

[tranemonk]

1 hour ago, AllenLowe said:

I have gone through five stages with later Art Pepper:

1) I met and spent time with him when he came to Boston on his comeback tour, loved the guy, escorted him around town, and thought he was fantastic that night, though I noticed some oddness to his playing. He gave me a few copies of his current LPs which took me to

2) being frustrated with the recordings. He seemed to be working too hard to sound "contemporary" in a sort of post-early Coltrane way. A lot of stops and starts that just were dull in their ineffective tonal tangents. A "scream" here, a pounded note there, as though he was telling people "yes I have heard jazz in the last 20 years and here is my interpretation."  But he was always best when he changed back to his linear style which, as with that night in Boston, had intensified and focused itself in profound ways. But it never lasted; I could not listen to these LPs, which bored and frustrated me; so

3) I stopped listening. There was just too much wrong with his current approach, which had substituted a kind of emotional self-expose while losing the true intensity of linear development. It was raw but it was not really revealing or indicative of any true artistic epiphany, but then....

4) Some years later I went back and started listening again, to the Vanguard CDs, another with Duke Jordan, and I heard moments of real personal revelation, so I started listening again, enjoying myself until....

5) His personal history and artistic mis-advantures just started to repeat themselves; blues cliches substituting for real expression (and I do wonder if some of his personal racial self consciousness was starting to act in artistically self destructive ways), the same retreat into false tonal and harmonic exploration, just a weird kind of near-narcissistic emotional self-abuse. And now listening to a clip from one of these sessions, I feel like I cannot listen any more.

What do you mean by "personal racial self-consciousness?" I think I understand but I want to make sure I'm not guessing wrong.

[JSngry]

People change. 

[AllenLowe]

38 minutes ago, tranemonk said:

What do you mean by "personal racial self-consciousness?" I think I understand but I want to make sure I'm not guessing wrong.

Pepper made frequent comments about his whiteness, many of them indicating a strong personal sensitivity at being considered less "authentic" because of his race.

28 minutes ago, JSngry said:

People change. 

Absolutely, but not necessarily for the better.

Edited October 21, 2023 by AllenLowe

[JSngry]

Sometimes change is just change. Objectively value-neutral. 

[T.D.]

45 minutes ago, AllenLowe said:

Pepper made frequent comments about his whiteness, many of them indicating a strong personal sensitivity at being considered less "authentic" because of his race.

I agree with this.

[jlhoots]

1 hour ago, T.D. said:

I agree with this.

For some reason this reminds me of (some of) Norman Mailer's writing.

[AllenLowe]

32 minutes ago, jlhoots said:

For some reason this reminds me of (some of) Norman Mailer's writing.

https://www.dissentmagazine.org/wp-content/files_mf/1353950503Mailer_WhiteNegro.pdf

[JSngry]

If you can believe Straight Life, that had been a thing for him from the beginning. But it wouldn't have been talked about openly until the 70s.

[mjzee]

Art was also aware of it from a business standpoint.  From the liner notes to Unreleased Art Pepper Vol. VII: Sankei Hall - Osaka, Japan:

One thing more about Art and his bands.  This was an all-black band.  When Art replaced Milcho with George, he told Milcho part of why he did it: Europeans and Japanese thought of jazz as the unique expression of the black American experience, only authentic when played by black American performers.  Milcho was doubly handicapped, being both white and Bulgarian.  Art told Milcho he'd been told he'd get a warmer welcome with an all-black band.  Well, I don't know about now, but at that time, it was true.  Not only did the foreigners believe it.  Art believed it, too.  The very prejudices he railed against in Straight Life, Art had absorbed, himself.

Edited October 21, 2023 by mjzee