Pepper Adams

[AndrewHill]

I don't own any Pepper led dates, but I do have him on Dizzy's Live at the Village Vanguard with Corea, Jones, etc. and Adams is just incredible on that one. I also have him on a Savoy date called Jazzmen Detroit, and that one is also a really nice one. No other horns, but with Burrell and Flanagan behind him. A second word for the Byrd-Adams dates, that was a great front line.

[DukeCity]

Some enterprising producer needs to get access to the BeeHive catalog and get this stuff on CD. That Baritone Madness album with Brignola is a scorcher.

Indeed! That one and one called "The Burn Brigade" with Brignola, Cecil Payne and Ronnie Cuber!

There was a period of several years when I was almost exclusively playing baritone, and those were two of my favorite sides (I still like them, but I don't spin vinyl very often). Another favorite player is Bruce Johnstone. In addition to playing with Woody Herman and Maynard Ferguson's bands in the '70s, he did a couple of small-group funk records as part of a band called "New York Mary".

It was also nice to see Scott Robinson's name brought up. He's one of the finest baritone players around these days. Perhaps the fact that he is a multi-instrumentalist serves to obscure that fact. But his work with Maria Schneider alone should put him in the "essential" list.

Robinson also does some great work on the Bob Brookmeyer album, "New Works" that includes the "Celebration Suite". Brookmeyer wrote the suite to feature Mulligan (and I think it got performed by Mulligan) but Mulligan had passed by the time it was to be recorded. In no way does Robinson attempt a Mulligan impersonation. He does his own thing, and it works well with Brookmeyer's writing.

But yeah, Pepper was phenominal. Doing some net surfing, I ran across a doctoral dissertation written about Pepper Adams, looking at some of his improvisational techniques. Available as a PDF file here. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, under "Publications".

[Free For All]

Some enterprising producer needs to get access to the BeeHive catalog and get this stuff on CD. That Baritone Madness album with Brignola is a scorcher.

Indeed! That one and one called "The Burn Brigade" with Brignola, Cecil Payne and Ronnie Cuber!

There was a period of several years when I was almost exclusively playing baritone, and those were two of my favorite sides (I still like them, but I don't spin vinyl very often). Another favorite player is Bruce Johnstone. In addition to playing with Woody Herman and Maynard Ferguson's bands in the '70s, he did a couple of small-group funk records as part of a band called "New York Mary".

Glenn is being a bit modest. He is excellent on all the saxophones (and bass clarinet), and was featured on bari with Maynard's band for quite a while. You should hear him play high notes on the trumpet, too! Do you still have opportunities to do that, Glenn?

I was glad when Maynard's Live at Jimmy's came out on CD. That featured some great Bruce Johnstone. Also nice to hear Scott Robinson mentioned- he also plays an amazing array of instruments.

[BFrank]

A few years ago I saw a female bari player with the Mingus Big Band in NYC. I don't remember her name, but she was pretty good. Featured in "Moanin' Mambo", of course.

[Kalo]

A few years ago I saw a female bari player with the Mingus Big Band in NYC. I don't remember her name, but she was pretty good. Featured in "Moanin' Mambo", of course.

Lauren Sevian

[Michael Weiss]

Can't remember if this was posted before

with Kenny Washington and Dennis Irwin

October, 1985

The Angry Squire, NYC

I have cassettes of this gig somewhere.

[sidewinder]

A few years ago I saw a female bari player with the Mingus Big Band in NYC. I don't remember her name, but she was pretty good. Featured in "Moanin' Mambo", of course.

Lauren Sevian

Saw her burning through 'Moanin' with the Mingus Big Band at Bath last Summer. Could have lifted paint - Pepper would have been proud !

[BFrank]

A few years ago I saw a female bari player with the Mingus Big Band in NYC. I don't remember her name, but she was pretty good. Featured in "Moanin' Mambo", of course.

Lauren Sevian

Yeah - that's her.

Thanks!

[Kalo]

Clare's a nice bari player, too.

[Kalo]

A few years ago I saw a female bari player with the Mingus Big Band in NYC. I don't remember her name, but she was pretty good. Featured in "Moanin' Mambo", of course.

Lauren Sevian

Yeah - that's her.

Thanks!

You're welcome.