Billboard : 01/05/1957
Score of 80

The sound of Pepper‘s alto has been badly misses the last few years. He is active now again on the West Coast and in very good form, if one may judge from this LP. On this date, he was seconded by Jack Sheldon on trumpet and a rhythm section composed of Shelly Manne, Russ Freeman and Leroy Vinnegar. As remembered, Pepper’s touch is light and crisp, with a magnificent gift for understatement. Sheldon makes more of an impression than on his recent solo album for Jazz: West. The material, with the exception of Broadway and You Go To My Head consists entirely of Pepper originals. For a beautifully styled slow ballad, try Patricia, for a fascinating rhythm opus, try Funny Blues. Should be a very good seller.

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Down Beat : 01/09/1957
Nat Hentoff : 4 stars

The Return of Art Pepper is the best LP yet released on the Jazz: West label. With Art on his first record in some time are trumpeter Jack Sheldon and superb rhythm section of Russ Freeman, Leroy Vinnegar, and Shelly Manne. Russ also solos with original impact. Sheldon plays better on this date than on any previous recording, blowing with heat and incisive ideas, although he could do without a few rhetorical flourishes. It’s fine having Pepper back. He has grown musically since his last recordings, and now is certainly one of the leader jazzmen on his horn. He plays with immediate emotional warmth, with a fuller tone than some of his contemporaries, and with an invention that is now becoming more his own than that of any of his influences. His time is excellent.

Art plays with justified assurance at all tempos, although on the two ballads, I preferred his own Patricia considerably to the somewhat surface treatment of Head. There are eight Pepper originals. The best is Patricia and the medium Funny Blues is a ball, as is the final track. But on the up-tempos, the lines are too brittle and busy. Excellent recorded sound and good Claxton pictures. Pepper was seriously missed; I hope he’s back for a long, productive time.

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Liner Notes by Don Clark

The return of Art Pepper to the Los Angeles jazz scene recently was truly an auspicious occasion, and created a tremendous stir of excitement from jazz fan and jazz musician alike. Los Angeles jazz clubs fortunate enough to have Art drop by and “sit in” suddenly discover a land office business, and recording companies strongly bid for Art’s services on wax. Pepper being back was certainly a jazz event, because everyone remembered Art, whose incomparable work on alto was a source of pleasure to all jazz lovers. When Art blows, you just naturally feel that warm inner glow, and a happy smile crosses your face that only comes from listening to great jazz.

Herb Kimmel of Jazz: West recognized these facts, and decide that Jazz: West would be the first record company to present Art Pepper with a group under his leadership. This meant more than just the fact that Art would get leader credits. It meant Art had the opportunity to select the musicians used on the date, and also a chance to present some of his recent original compositions.

Art Pepper has achieved recognition by the jazz world in general as being one of the all-time greats, and has placed in the top ten on Down Beat polls for almost a decade. A native Californian, Art was born in Gardena on September 1st, 1925. Music stirred Art’s soul at the early age of nine, when he took up the clarinet. He stuck by it until he was 12, then switched to his horn of destiny: alto sax. Mostly self taught and possessing a rare amount of natural talent, Art was first influenced by the great Joe Thomas, later by Lester Young, Johnny Hodges, and the ballad master, Ben Webster. Today Art digs Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, Lee Konitz, and naturally Bird. Pepper’s proficiency propelled him into the spotlight at the age of 18 when he joined Gus Arnheim band. A quick succession of better jobs followed in 1943 with such great bands as Lee Young‘s, the fine Benny Carter aggregation, and finally the enviable jazz alto chair with Stan Kenton. Being only 18 prohibited Art from traveling with Stan’s band, so with much dismay, he stayed behind when the band went on the road. In February, 1944, Art entered the service where he remained until 1946, during which time very little opportunity presented itself to play. After the war, Art returned to Los Angeles where he again joined the Kenton band in 1947, staying until 1951. During this great period in Art’s career, close association with Shorty Rogers and Bill Russo proved quite beneficial. As Art says: “Shorty and Bill were a great help to me in developing my playing and writing, and this was about the only ‘schooling’ I ever had.” In 1951 Art returned to Los Angeles where he fronted several exciting groups with such fine and up and coming jazz artists as Hamp Hawes, Russ Freeman, Larry Bunker, and Jack Montrose (with whom Art is now working with in a Hollywood jazz club). It was also during this period that Art recorded his famous version of Over the Rainbow with Shorty Rogers’ Giants, now considered a jazz classic. Even though Art Pepper has spent most of his jazz life on the West Coast, he has achieved honored distinction as one of the all time great jazzmen. Especially among musicians who eagerly seek his musical association, and hold his tremendous ability in the greatest respect. The likeable Pepper is quiet and soft spoken, yet when his alto speaks, the jazz world recognizes the unmistakable voice of a giant. Such is the regard for Art Pepper. Even though Art and his horn were not heard from too much from 1953 to 1956, as soon as you hear the first few bars in this album, it becomes apparent this is one of the great moments in modern jazz… the return of Art Pepper.

Musicians

In choosing musicians for this date, Art has come up with a dream group which unites itself into a wailing combo. For the other horn, the versatile trumpet of Jack Sheldon was selected. Jack, a familiar and exciting figure in jazz, is also heard on his own Jazz: West LP-6. Sheldon’s inspired blowing on this session guarantees him a higher run on the jazz ladder of success. For rhythm, a close knit section was needed to infuse life into the group. Therefore, on drums Art selected the great Shelly Manne. On bass, the fabulous Blanton of modern jazz, Leroy Vinnegar, who provided such tremendous asset on Kenny Drew‘s Jazz: West LP-4. Added to this was the brilliant piano of the keeper of 88 sounds, Russ Freeman. Shelly, Russ and Leroy are no newcomers to each other, as they are three swinging members of Shelly’s great quintet. With remarkable ease, all five welded together breathing fire and spirit into the up tunes, sensitivity and taste into the ballads. No wonder Sheldon and Pepper blow with such superior facility as Russ, Shelly and Leroy boot them along. The awesome jazz ability of Art Pepper is even further demonstrated as he presents eight wonderful original compositions that run the gamut from blues to minor riffs a ballad and an exciting Latin jazz tune. The happy mood felt by all is quite obvious in the hilarious execution of Funny Blues. All the tunes offer lavish opportunity for the group’s abundant ability, and showcase Pepper’s horn in one of its finest hours, blowing chorus after chorus of classic flowing lines with the effortless ease of falling rain. I am sure as you listen to this album, a warm inner glow will develop, and a smile will cross your face as you realize that this is not just jazz… this is great jazz.