New Art Pepper release

[Chas]

Wonder if this was picked up from the "bloggers". Downloads a-plenty. Fuck 'em. I'm really tired of these folks offering free music and then pleading for compliments for the service they provide.

[Chuck Nessa]

Yes, again.

You don't look healthy Chas.

[Ron S]

Per an email from Laurie Pepper's site, the 2-disc 1981 Croydon, England concert has now been released:

IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! WHERE?

right here: http://cdbaby.com/cd/artpepper3

At Fairfield Hall, Croydon, England, in May of 1981, Art Pepper appeared with the quartet that had returned him to music. Together, they delivered to loyal and savvy British fans a dazzling performance of originals and bebop classics.

VOLUME III: THE CROYDON CONCERT is is the first release by Laurie Pepper's Widow's Taste Records featuring the rhythm section that made up the Art Pepper Quartet from 1978 through most of 1981. They were indispensable to the alto saxophonist's triumphant return to the scene at the end of his life and functioned as both engine and anchor during much of that time. John S. Wilson praised them in the New York Times, saying they made Art's "innate rhythmic drive even more buoyant" and referring to Bob Magnusson as "fabulously fast-fingered." Critic Gary Giddins, in The Village Voice, said Bob's "sure time and rich tone in the bottom register complemented Pepper's frequently ethereal gambits" and praised Carl Burnett's "chatty responsiveness." Musician and critic Jon Hendricks called Milcho Leviev "a most marvelous pianist, a real joy. He plays with beauty and passion."

Reviewers have responded enthusiastically to the two previous releases. Volume I from this series, another two-disc set, is The Abashiri Concert, recorded in Japan in 1981 ( http://cdbaby.com/artpepper ). Volume II is The Last Concert ( http://cdbaby.com/cd/artpepper2 ), recorded at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC in 1982, documenting Art's last performance just weeks before his death:

"Jazz in the era of the heroic statement. Excellent." --Ben Ratliff, New York Times

"Pepper blowing blues and ballads with a shivering intensity, as if each song recounted his own dreams and disappointments." --Fred Kaplan, New York Times

"All but unprecedented. Both soul-searing and sentimental." --Will Friedwald, New York Sun.

At cdbaby.com you can hear two minute clips of all the tracks. Go! This is a wonderful album.

Just ordered me up a copy.

[jlhoots]

Per an email from Laurie Pepper's site, the 2-disc 1981 Croydon, England concert has now been released:

IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! WHERE?

right here: http://cdbaby.com/cd/artpepper3

At Fairfield Hall, Croydon, England, in May of 1981, Art Pepper appeared with the quartet that had returned him to music. Together, they delivered to loyal and savvy British fans a dazzling performance of originals and bebop classics.

VOLUME III: THE CROYDON CONCERT is is the first release by Laurie Pepper's Widow's Taste Records featuring the rhythm section that made up the Art Pepper Quartet from 1978 through most of 1981. They were indispensable to the alto saxophonist's triumphant return to the scene at the end of his life and functioned as both engine and anchor during much of that time. John S. Wilson praised them in the New York Times, saying they made Art's "innate rhythmic drive even more buoyant" and referring to Bob Magnusson as "fabulously fast-fingered." Critic Gary Giddins, in The Village Voice, said Bob's "sure time and rich tone in the bottom register complemented Pepper's frequently ethereal gambits" and praised Carl Burnett's "chatty responsiveness." Musician and critic Jon Hendricks called Milcho Leviev "a most marvelous pianist, a real joy. He plays with beauty and passion."

Reviewers have responded enthusiastically to the two previous releases. Volume I from this series, another two-disc set, is The Abashiri Concert, recorded in Japan in 1981 ( http://cdbaby.com/artpepper ). Volume II is The Last Concert ( http://cdbaby.com/cd/artpepper2 ), recorded at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC in 1982, documenting Art's last performance just weeks before his death:

"Jazz in the era of the heroic statement. Excellent." --Ben Ratliff, New York Times

"Pepper blowing blues and ballads with a shivering intensity, as if each song recounted his own dreams and disappointments." --Fred Kaplan, New York Times

"All but unprecedented. Both soul-searing and sentimental." --Will Friedwald, New York Sun.

At cdbaby.com you can hear two minute clips of all the tracks. Go! This is a wonderful album.

Just ordered me up a copy.

Already out of stock at CD Baby.

[medjuck]

I got the Laurie e-mail, then an e-mail from CD Baby, but as jlhoots says it's already out of stock. I'd suspect that it wasn't in stock yet, but if Ron S was able to order it I guess they did have at least some copies.

[jlhoots]

I got the Laurie e-mail, then an e-mail from CD Baby, but as jlhoots says it's already out of stock. I'd suspect that it wasn't in stock yet, but if Ron S was able to order it I guess they did have at least some copies.

I e-mailed Laurie & she said CD Baby should have more copies "any minute".

[Ron S]

Mine was shipped the day I ordered it, but I ordered it that morning as soon as I saw the email.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

It's baaaaaaaaack!

[jlhoots]

Just ordered it + new Don Friedman CD with Chuck Israels & Joe Hunt.

[GA Russell]

I received my copy of The Croydon Concert today, and right away put on Disc 1. It's terrific!

I have a few things with bassist Bob Magnussen, but this one stands out. He is interesting on every song.

Maybe fifteen years ago I picked up a CD called Laurie's Choice which contained four tracks recorded live. I can't put my hands on it at the moment, and I can't remember if pianist Milcho Leviev is on it or not. If not, this is my first album of his. He does a great job here.

The three releases on the Widow's Taste label each feature a different pianist, and it may be that my order of preference is based upon my opinion of the pianist. At this point, I would rank Roger Kellaway first (The Last Concert), Milcho Leviev second (The Croyden Concert) and George Cables third (The Abashiri Concert).

I enjoy all three releases, but I have wondered why Laurie released The Abashiri Concert first, because I haven't thought that it is as good as The Last Concert. But the press release included a New York Times article which stated that Laurie released Abashiri because she was interviewed about that concert, and she said during the interview that she would release it so that it would receive some publicity from the article!

Anyway, I'm going to play Disc 1 for a few days before I move on to Disc 2. Usually I wait a while to get to the second disc of a set, but this Disc 1 has got me yearning for more!

[jazz1]

I received my copy of The Croydon Concert today, and right away put on Disc 1. It's terrific!

Great, can you comment on the audio quality!!

Thanks

jazz1

[GA Russell]

Great, can you comment on the audio quality!!

Jazz1, my stereo system is strictly pedestrian, so my opinion is worth nothing to the audiophiles in the group.

However, I will say that the fidelity never sounds bad to me.