Billboard : 11/18/1957
Spotlight on… New Jazz Talent

In his first LP as a leader, ex-Kenton baritonist Adams fulfills promise shown on records earlier this year, playing with heat, urgency and consistently interesting continuity on faster tunes, soulfully on the one ballad. Solos by trumpeter Stu Williamson, pianist Carl Perkins and generally excellent rhythm playing add appeal to this modern package. Try Baubles, Bangles and Beads as demo-band.

—–

Down Beat : 02/20/1958
Dom Cerulli : 3.5 stars

New star baritone man Adams shows here of what stuff the new stars are made. It’s unfortunate that he has to shoulder the load virtually alone.

On Baubles, longest track in the set, Adams handles his end well, but supporting solo voices are weak. Unforgettable and Froo are rather standard. Adams has Only Love all to himself, and displays the firmness of tone and the ease of technique, as well as a genuine creative ability, which marks him among the most promising baritone men today.

In this age of the blowing session, it’s unfortunate that Adams wasn’t given a more varied context in which to present his wares.

—–

Liner Notes by Joe Quinn

The tidal wave that swept through the jazz world back in 1940 produced so many major ramifications in the art that we have only begun to explore its potential. New harmony and rhythm patterns are constantly under the scrutiny of the experimentalists, and, relatively speaking, new instruments are achieving legitimate stature in the field after years of uphill struggling. Riding on the crest of this renaissance is the baritone saxophone and young musicians like Pepper Adams.

Unlike other young jazz instrumentalists who had a variety of idols to chose from, Pepper and his baritone playing colleagues single out Harry Carney as the only salient standard in the entire jazz realm who gave form and definition to the role of the baritone in music. Although Harry was at one time virtually alone in the field, his strong leadership paved the way to startling innovations by his latter-day admirers.

Park Adams grew up in Detroit, and the extent of his formal musical training was a few lessons on the clarinet coupled with the reading and harmony training he acquired in grade school. In typical fashion, he incorporated the tenor saxophone into his armament and worked most of his early jobs on these two horns. His introduction to the baritone sax is reminiscent of the great Horatio Alger legend.

Pepper was employed in a Detroit music store, where the call for baritones was anemic. Through his fascination for reed instruments, he arranged with his boss to purchase the instrument on his employee discount. The union was an instant success, and Pepper became a convert to the oversized horn. All of his available time was spent in perfecting his playing ability, and his patience was fully rewarded when he joined the Stan Kenton band in 1956, and later toured with Maynard Ferguson‘s “Dream-band.”

This Mode recording is the first time Pepper has had an opportunity to display his talent with a group of his own choosing. Assisting him are four of the finest musicians in the country, all jazz individualists, but with a keen sense of ensemble unity. The rhythm team of Carl Perkins, Leroy Vinnegar and Mel Lewis produce an unswerving backstop for the horns, and trumpeter Stu Williamson has long since distinguished himself as an important cog in the sphere of modern trumpet.

In addition to his performance here, Pepper composed two original lines for the group, both of which are heard on the “B” side. To complete the program he selected what we might call three standards, albeit that the “A” side is devoted to a recently popular ballad, and a remarkably changed version of one of the great tunes from the Broadway success “Kismet.” The quintet had these things in mind as the program progressed.

Unforgettable: Taken at a jaunty tempo, the ballad’s melody line is scarcely disturbed in the opening chorus. Pepper has the first flight, followed by Stu in some very inventive passages. Likewise Carl Perkins before the group plays it out.

Baubles, Bangles and Beads: Certainly the longest side in the set, the familiar composition got its quickest treatment to date. Pepper romps through several choruses with a biting attack, fading midway for Carl Perkins. Stu carries the proceedings further, leading to the 8’s exchange with drummer Lewis.

Freddie Froo: Here’s a Pepper Adams riff with plenty of blowing room. Stu Williamson is in the opening slot, Pepper follows, and Carl Perkins has a fling. Leroy and Mel build their own extension before the group unites to cap it.

My One And Only Love: The soulful baritone sound gives an added depth to this lovely melody. Pepper’s solo work is featured exclusively.

Muezzin’: Another Pepper Adams riff, this time with a Latin beat. Stu, Pepper and Carl have the aggregate blowing assignment with punctuating rhythm flowing throughout.

As is often the case with young jazz men, Pepper Adams came to light with his dependable work in the Stan Kenton and Maynard Ferguson bands. In shaping his future plans Pepper will rely on the two fundamentals of musical success: practice and patience. His first recorded effort reflects the integrity of that formula.