Pepper, Art
Art Pepper + Eleven "Modern Jazz Classics"
Rare & Collectible Vinyl Records

Sealed 2022 180gm remastered reissue from Craft Recordings. Part of their Acoustic Sounds series. Originally recorded by legendary engineers Roy DuNann and Howard Holzer. The all-analog mastering was done by Bernie Grundman, Pressed at QRP. "This is a true classic. Altoist Art Pepper is joined by an 11-piece band playing Marty Paich arrangements of a dozen jazz standards from the bop and cool jazz era. Trumpeter Jack Sheldon has a few solos, but the focus is very much on the altoist who is in peak form for this period. Throughout, Pepper sounds quite inspired by Paich's charts which feature the band as an active part of the music rather than just in the background. Highlights of this highly enjoyable set include "Move," "Four Brothers," "Shaw Nuff," "Anthropology," and "Donna Lee," but there is not a single throwaway track to be heard. Essential music for all serious jazz collections. [Some reissues add two additional versions of "Walkin'" and one of "Donna Lee" to the original program.]" All Music Guide – Scott Yanow