It happened the night of November 12-13, 1956.

I’ve written elsewhere about the scourge of heroin in jazz. (I should immediately add that it was the policing and criminal sentences handed down to jazz drug users that hurt the music during its height, not just death or illness from using.)

Surely we’ve all wondered what musical landscapes Charlie Parker may have discovered had he reached the age of 35. I know you and I have discussed it at a party once, years ago.

Hampton was so cool and so busted

I’m listening to one of the great jazz quartets and one you may not be familiar with.

Hampton Hawes was one of the great pianists of the West Coast scene in the 1950s. It’s easy to focus on the legendary horn players: Art Pepper, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Bud Shank, Jimmy Guiffre; but the keys had no shortage of heavyweights: Claire Fischer, Russ Freeman, Jimmy Rowles; and Hampton Hawes was right there with them.

I’m listening to Hawes’ All Night Sessions album (Contemporary, 1956).  

It was originally released as three albums. The title is accurate. All of the music, seventeen tracks, almost two hours of top-notch jazz, was recorded in a single night session in Los Angeles November 12-13, 1956. It’s not unusual for jazz groups to make maximum use of studio time and get as much onto tape as possible and maybe the fast pace led to the recordings a vibrancy that lifts each track. You need to get your hands on these recordings.

Jim could play that thing

Jim Hall had a large role to play in the greatness. To me, he’s one of the top 3 or 4 guitarists in jazz and I’ve written before about what a fan I am of his playing. (I remember having you over for coffee and going on about his trio recorded in Toronto). He’s masterful in his accompaniment and during his moments to shine.

Here’s the band:

Hampton Hawes - piano

Jim Hall - guitar

Red Mitchell - bass

Eldridge Freeman – drums

Red Mitchell's no slouch on the bass and as for Eldridge Freeman...I don't know him. Lays downs some nice brush strokes.

Why did I mention drugs? The jazz world lost Hampton for five years beginning in 1958 after he was convicted for heroin charges. He was later pardoned by John F. Kennedy, but that’s another story. What song to offer? Toss a coin really but how about Hampton’s Pulpit. You'll see what I mean about the fantastic interplay between Hampton and Jim.

Let’s talk soon. Rodney called me and you won’t believe what he told me.

Bud Shank and the Mamas & Papas

I have been listening to a lot of Bud Shank lately and why not? Summer is approaching, the sun is shining and surely that's a perfect time to listen to the cool sounds of Bud Shank on flute, alto sax, or occassionally tenor or baritone sax. Over the course of his career he played with many of the greats, especially those other west coast fellows including Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Art Pepper and Shorty Rogers.


What I didn't know, was that he did a lot of studio work in California during the 1960s. The bombshell is that he played that great flute line in 'California Dreaming'. I haven`t heard that song in years but I can still hum that wonderful solo.


I won`t post that song here since you can track that one down on your own.

Instead how about we listen to What'll I Do a great track he recorded with Bob Cooper. I mean, how often are you likely to hear the oboe in jazz? They were an amazing team and I highly recommend trackong down some of their recordings. In fact, Mosaic Records (are you getting tired of my talking about them yet?) put out a set of their recordings which has recently made the transition to a cheaper iTunes edition (called The Capitol Vault Series) and my friends, this music would make a fine soundtrack to your summer.

Art Power

a very young Art

The power was out for a few hours this evening, making it difficult to read a friend's novel (liking it so far jp!)

I was informed that the power was back on by who else? Art Pepper playing I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me.

Pepper Pepper Pepper Pepper Pepper.

Have I become monotonous, my friends? Would you be pleased to know that I also listened to The Feelies today as I did dishes?

It's just that Art is so good and you'd know it if you gave him a chance. Some of you know it, right?

Art Dream

Last night I dreamt of Art Pepper. Due to Tylenol 3 I have been feeling pretty spun even during waking hours so no surprise that I should be having some wild dreams.

Unfortunately, upon waking the dream was immediately forgotten.

All I can recall is that it was later period Art. He was older; looking like Harlan Ellison, not like his younger days when he looked like Robert Wagner.

Did he tell me something about Shorty Rogers being a snitch?

Did we talk about San Quentin?

Did we talk about music?

Art! I don't remember the dream!

I will need to take Tylenol 3's again tonight. I will be waiting okay?

Shorty Snitched Art?

If you've been following this blog lately, you'll know that I have been on a real Art Pepper kick and have been listening to him nonstop. I have also mentioned that Art had an unfortunate relationship with heroin and spent much of the '60s locked up because of it.

Early today I read something shocking.

Art's widow accused his best friend, trumpeter Shorty Rogers, of turning stool pigeon and it was because of him that Art ended up in getting busted and sent to San Quentin.  She made the claim in the liner notes to the latest in series of unreleased recordings (that I will write about soon).

Do you think it's true?

As you can see in the photo to the left, he does have an awful goatee which looks quite villainous.  I mean, I like Shorty's music (he is one of the princes of west coast jazz for good reason, but he's no Art Pepper...) but would Laurie Pepper make an accusation like this after all this time if there wasn't some validity to it?

I've said it several times, my friends, but the more I learn about Art the more I think that there is a great movie waiting to be made about him.

I'm concerned an Art Pepper biopic would be painful to watch for us hard-core Art fans as they would surely destroy the great story by making it a romance with Brad Pitt and the starlet of the moment, but the soundtrack would be fantastic!

Dinner Music

Last night as my wife and I were feeding our babies their dinner, jazz was playing on the Harmon/Karmon.  I had the iPod on random in the jazz genre and who should come on but our old friend Art Pepper.

-I love Art Pepper, I said.

My wife says to the babies -You've got to love Art Pepper if you live in this house.

And how can you not love Art Pepper? One of the premiere alto sax players of all time, he recorded dozens of albums and was a guest on dozens more. Some jazz-o-philes say he never recorded a poor album and I have yet to listen to anything that proves this theory incorrect.

He could play a gorgeous ballad as well as a burning solo. He also had a special touch with songs with a Spanish flavour.  I dare you to listen to Mambo de la Pinta (click on title to listen) without feeling like dancing.

He lived a tough life with frequent stints in jail for drug offenses (heroin was a plague in the jazz world from Charlie Parker on down) but after getting clean in the early-70s, he came back with a vengeance and recorded so much in his final years that Galaxy Records put out a 16 disc set that covered a mere four years (1978-1982) and if you can get your hands on a copy of this marvellous set that runs 18 hours and 37 minutes, I dare you to find a weak track.

What's Spinning Today

The highlights of the day are two albums by artists that have recorded together (way back in the late 40's I believe... more research to come...)

The first is an alto saxophonist of whom I am eager to become more familiar. His music is energizing and his tone is crisp and clear and reminds me of an upbeat Paul Desmond.

'Smack Up' by the Art Pepper Quintet is highly recommended.

As I first picked up this disc I wondered if the title was a reference to heroin (truly a plague in jazz) and upon doing some research it was revealed that Art Pepper was indeed hooked and shortly after this album was released would serve time in prison for drug offenses.

How many jazz careers were cut short by junk? More than I care to think about. Certainly a somber topic for another post.

But let's remain joyous here and enjoy this fabulous collection of tunes. The title track is very strong, Las Cuevas De Mario is delightful as is How Can You Lose.  I love this album, even the two bonus tracks (two versions of the rollicking toe-tapping Solid Citizens) and it is certainly going to remain in heavy rotation here on the 20th floor for some time to come.

The second album is a live album by the late great Charles Mingus 'Mingus at the Bohemia'. As you can guess from the title of this blog, I am a huge Mingus fan. He put out several fabulous live albums over the  years and this one ranks up there with any of them. (The cover art is also fabulous!)  His basswork is spectacular as always, but it is his compositions that stand out. Who cannot marvel at Jump Monk or Work Song?  I feel fortunate to be listening to the extended tracks of this live gig that were collected on Mingus' 'The Complete Debut Recordings' which I found in a used CD shop in Toronto a couple of years ago and continue to pour over like a archeologist tinkering with Roman gold artifacts.

Though few jazz aficionados would dare argue that there is another bassist that rivals Mingus, I would go so far as to say that there are few composers that are his equal. Do you disagree?  Honestly?

The babies are waking up from their midday nap so, my friends, I will stop writing for now.  What jazz shall I introduce them to this afternoon?