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Alun Morgan’s essay Art Pepper-Marty Paich Inc., originally appeared in the November 1960 issue of the Jazz Monthly magazine and was reprinted by permission in Todd Selbert, editor, The Art Pepper Companion, Writings on a Jazz Original [New York: Cooper Square Press, 2000].
Held in the highest esteem by the British Jazz community, Alun was a gentle and genteel person with many significant accomplishments as a Jazz writer and critic during his long career. The following article reveals delightful insights about Art, Marty and the nature of their working relationship and some startlingly revelations about Art’s preferences, not the least of which was his adulation of John Coltrane’s style of playing.
In 1960, Coltrane was not the legendary figure he would become later in the decade after the formation of his classic quartet with pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones. He was criticized rather than revered by the majority of Jazz fans and Jazz critics and a relatively small number in the Jazz world held the view of his playing which Art expresses in very appreciative terms.
Sadly, Jazz fans would have to wait 15 years for Coltrane’s influence to manifest itself in Art’s playing as he would spend those years in prison.
Alun certainly doesn’t pull any punches in his appraisal of Art’s playing:
“For some years I have looked on Art Pepper as the greatest solo player in jazz since Charlie Parker and … Art Pepper + Eleven, which I cannot recommend too highly, merely reinforces that opinion.”
[Based in the UK, Alun used English spelling.]
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