Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Art Pepper: The Return of Art Pepper

Art Pepper: The Return of Art Pepper

By C. Michael Bailey
August 8, 2017
View read count

Alto saxophonist Art Pepper's first incarceration for drugs took place between August 1954 and July 1956, a period conspicuous for Pepper's absence from the recording studio. Pepper's first recording as a leader after his release was, aptly, The Return of Art Pepper. He had been busy as a sideman for trumpeters

Shorty Rogers

trumpet
1924 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Shorty Rogers (Big Shorty Express (RCA, 1956)) and

Chet Baker

trumpet and vocals
1929 - 1988

" data-original-title="" title="">Chet Baker (The Route (Pacific Jazz, 1956)) before entering Capitol Studios on August 5, 1956 to record the ten pieces that would become the final recording. Blue Note Records later collected the sides Pepper recorded for Jazz West (a subsidiary of Aladdin Records), releasing The Return of Art Pepper—The Complete Art Pepper Aladdin Recordings, Volume 1 with additional masters from the sessions. Pepper sounds surprisingly good for having been away from recording nearly two years. At this point, he retained the cool and dry tone which would later give way to the torrential playing of his final comeback. The music is vintage West Coast cool, slickly arranged and performed.

West Coast cool is also the band Pepper plays with, all sidemen with whom he had previously worked.

Jack Sheldon

trumpet
1931 - 2019

" data-original-title="" title="">Jack Sheldon plays a tart,

Dizzy Gillespie

trumpet
1917 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Dizzy Gillespie-influenced trumpet, while pianist

Russ Freeman

piano
1926 - 2002

" data-original-title="" title="">Russ Freeman provides the support with which Pepper had become comfortable. The rhythm section of bassist

Leroy Vinnegar

bass, acoustic
1928 - 1999

" data-original-title="" title="">Leroy Vinnegar and drummer

Shelly Manne

drums
1920 - 1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Shelly Manne had few equals. Highlights of the recording include a brisk "Broadway," a chilly "You Go to My Head," and a Pepper Latin staple, "Mambo de la Pinta." This is not the best Pepper, but even less-than-optimal Pepper is still very good.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Pepper Returns; Broadway; You Go to My Head; Angel Wings; Funny Blues; Five More; Minority; Patricia; Mambo de la Pinta; Walkin�� Out Blues.

Personnel

Art Pepper

saxophone, alto

Jack Sheldon

trumpet

Russ Freeman

piano

Leroy Vinnegar

bass, acoustic

Shelly Manne

drums

Album information

Title: The Return of Art Pepper | Year Released: 1956 | Record Label: Blue Note Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Global Music Adventures at the Music...
< Previous

Pat Martino at The Jazz Standard
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.