Art Pepper

[Tom in RI]

Can anyone comment on the remastering of the Art Pepper Select compared to the single cd's issued in 1988 as The Complete Aladdin Recordings Vol 1-3? I imagine there would be some improvement, can anyone tell how dramatic it is? TIA.

[J.A.W.]

Can anyone comment on the remastering of the Art Pepper Select compared to the single cd's issued in 1988 as The Complete Aladdin Recordings Vol 1-3? I imagine there would be some improvement, can anyone tell how dramatic it is? TIA.

I actually prefer the older CD issues; the Mosaic, though absolutely not bad, is louder and brighter in comparison. An advantage of the Mosaic is, of course, that it has more music.

Both the older issues and the Mosaic were mastered by Ron McMaster.

[mikeweil]

An advantage of the Mosaic is, of course, that it has more music.

What, and how much in playing time, is new to the Mosaic Select?

[J.A.W.]

An advantage of the Mosaic is, of course, that it has more music.

What, and how much in playing time, is new to the Mosaic Select?

Check out the Mosaic discography.

[Tom in RI]

The only tune on the Select that isn't on the single cd issues I have is a feature for Bill Perkins, Angel Eyes. However, the Select also includes 4 selections from a 4th cd, Art Pepper, The Artistry of Pepper from 1992 which was transferred to digital by Malcolm Addey. The Artsitry of Pepper also includes a nonet session from 1957 that isn't on the Select. So, between 4 cd's I am missing 1 tune from the Select but have an additional session.

Thanks for the feedback J.A.W.

Edited February 1, 2006 by Tom in RI

[Ron S]

So, between 4 cd's I am missing 1 tune from the Select but have an additional session.

But Dude, you don't have THIS looking all nice and pretty up on your shelf:

[J.A.W.]

The only tune on the Select that isn't on the single cd issues I have is a feature for Bill Perkins, Angel Eyes. However, the Select also includes 4 selections from a 4th cd, Art Pepper, The Artistry of Pepper from 1992 which was transferred to digital by Malcolm Addey. The Artsitry of Pepper also includes a nonet session from 1957 that isn't on the Select. So, between 4 cd's I am missing 1 tune from the Select but have an additional session.

Thanks for the feedback J.A.W.

You're welcome.

Additional info:

Disc 1 of the Mosaic includes all the tracks on The Return of Art Pepper (Blue Note 46863, which was transferred by Ron McMaster), 5 of which were originally issued on the Joe Morello album Collections - Joe Morello.

Disc 2 of the Mosaic includes 10 of the 13 tracks on Modern Art (Blue Note 46848, which was transferred by Ron McMaster), plus 5 tracks from a Bill Perkins date, 4 of which appeared on the Bill Perkins album Just Friends - Bill Perkins.

Disc 3 of the Mosaic includes all the tracks on The Art of Pepper (Blue Note 46853, which was transferred by Ron McMaster), plus 3 alternate takes that appeared on Modern Art.

Edited February 1, 2006 by J.A.W.

[Guest]

While reading about Art Pepper in Giola's West Coast Jazz book, mention was made of The Omega

Sessions. I ordered The Art of Pepper on Fresh Sound from Amazon.

Not being an audiophile or stamp collector, it sounds pretty good to me and included informative

liner notes. Also enjoyed pics of the original albums and tapes.

Found The Complete Lighthouse Sessions on the Jazz Factory label as that is the type of

jazz I enjoy. Sometimes it's rather difficult 'googling', thumbing through the Mosaic catalog

and checking discographies to locate exactly what I want. Felt the Mosaic might be too much to digest for me.

On a second note, the Gerry Mulligan Select came today and am thoroughly thrilled with it!

[Kalo]

The select is great and I'm very glad to have all of this music in one place with good sound, even though I've owned much of it in various forms for many years. The Omegatape sessions are some of my favorite Art Pepper ever, in fact, some of my favorite 1950s jazz period. Carl Perkins!

[Nate Dorward]

That session with Carl Perkins is some of Pepper's greatest music, though I doubt that Mosaic could do much with the sound -- it always had some distortion on the louder bits ("Webb City" e.g.).

[Tom in RI]

Nate, you are absolutely correct. I believe there is a mention of distortion on the discography at the Mosaic website. I had the Omega Tape music 1st on an Onxy lp and then on the BN twofer, finally on the cd releases from 1988. I think I will stick with the issues I have.

[Clunky]

The sound on the mosaic set sounds better than the old CD of the "Art of Pepper" that I have. Either sound perfectly acceptable IMO.

[king ubu]

"Angel Eyes" is the same that is on the Bud Shank/Bill Perkins West Coast Conn, yes? Why would this appear on a Pepper set in the first place?

So with that Shank/Perkins and the 3 Blue Notes I miss the rest of session D:

11. What Is This Thing Called Love (D) 5:29

(Cole Porter)

12. A Foggy Day (D) 3:53

(G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin)

13. Diane-A-Flow (D) 4:02

(Art Pepper)

14. Zenobia (D) 5:14

(Art Pepper)

D) Art Pepper, alto sax; Bill Perkins, tenor sax; Jimmy Rowles, piano; Ben Tucker, bass; Mel Lewis, drums.

Recorded at the Radio Annex Studio in Los Angeles on December 11, 1956

All others originally issued on JUST FRIENDS - BILL PERKINS Pacific Jazz PJM 401

And I assume there's no possibility to find "Just Friends" these days...

Didn't the Omega/Freshsound release contain a couple of tracks not included on the Blue Notes or the Select?

[J.A.W.]

So with that Shank/Perkins and the 3 Blue Notes I miss the rest of session D:

11. What Is This Thing Called Love (D) 5:29

(Cole Porter)

12. A Foggy Day (D) 3:53

(G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin)

13. Diane-A-Flow (D) 4:02

(Art Pepper)

14. Zenobia (D) 5:14

(Art Pepper)

D) Art Pepper, alto sax; Bill Perkins, tenor sax; Jimmy Rowles, piano; Ben Tucker, bass; Mel Lewis, drums.

Recorded at the Radio Annex Studio in Los Angeles on December 11, 1956

All others originally issued on JUST FRIENDS - BILL PERKINS Pacific Jazz PJM 401

And I assume there's no possibility to find "Just Friends" these days...

Didn't the Omega/Freshsound release contain a couple of tracks not included on the Blue Notes or the Select?

These 4 tracks appear on The Artistry of Pepper.

Edited February 2, 2006 by J.A.W.

[king ubu]

Oh, I see... I'm at work and got confused by reading this discussion. Glad to see I have it all, then (except for bonus cuts on the Freshsound reissue - I searched, but couldn't find the thread I thought existed about that reissue).

[brownie]

Ubu, the thread you were looking for is probably that one:

Art Pepper Select, take 1

Now, get back to work

[montg]

I agree with Hans, the Mosaic remastering is 'loud'--but I actually prefer it that way. The only sound issue of any consequence, for me, is a piano that is apparently out of tune on one of the sessions. Nothing McMaster could do about that 50 years after the recording.

This is great music--my favorite Select so far!