blind-blake Posted August 2, 2008 Report Posted August 2, 2008 (edited) Just watched this last night. Anybody else ever see this? It's just incredible. First off, Art's playing is transcendent. His tone, technique, his total control over his instrument is astounding. A reading of a song that is dedicated to his wife (our song?) is particularly heart-wrentching. The pianist, whose name is escaping me (it is Russian sounding), was also amazingly soulful and technically monstrous. The film is puntuated by Art's storytelling, which is completely captivating -- painfully personal at times (especially with regard to his family history, addiction, health, and incarceration), and highly amusing at others. (Among other things, we learn that the man was a pro-football afficiando, God bless hs heart.) His wife Laurie is also wonderful. Not only is she a real cutie, but her own stories and accounts of their relationship are fascinitating. She is/was a beautiful person - articulate, down-to-earth, blissful, and completely devoted to art and his music. Highly recommended! Edited August 2, 2008 by blind-blake Quote
Larry Kart Posted August 2, 2008 Report Posted August 2, 2008 Pianist is Milcho Leviev, a native of Bulgaria: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milcho_Leviev best-known for his stint with the Don Ellis Orchestra. Given Leviev's Bulgarian background, Ellis' odd meters were nothing that new to him. Quote
marcello Posted August 2, 2008 Report Posted August 2, 2008 (edited) Is that the one where he plays a blues with Jimmy Witherspoon? That's a frightening solo! Edited August 2, 2008 by marcello Quote
blind-blake Posted August 2, 2008 Author Report Posted August 2, 2008 Pianist is Milcho Leviev, a native of Bulgaria: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milcho_Leviev best-known for his stint with the Don Ellis Orchestra. Given Leviev's Bulgarian background, Ellis' odd meters were nothing that new to him. That's the guy! I'd never heard of him before, but he is great in this DVD. Quote
blind-blake Posted August 2, 2008 Author Report Posted August 2, 2008 Is that the one where he plays a blues with Jimmy Witherspoon? That's a frightening solo! No, not this video. But that one sound intriguing, as well. I'll have to look for it. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted August 2, 2008 Report Posted August 2, 2008 Spent a very interesting few days with Art and Laurie near the end. Fascinating people. Hope someday to get it all down on paper. Quote
blind-blake Posted August 2, 2008 Author Report Posted August 2, 2008 Spent a very interesting few days with Art and Laurie near the end. Fascinating people. Hope someday to get it all down on paper. I would love to hear about it. Please do this someday soon. Quote
AllenLowe Posted August 3, 2008 Report Posted August 3, 2008 we'll need to compare notes; I spent only one day with him, right at the beginning of his comeback, in Boston; I was assigned to write a story on him for a local music paper, called him up, he said 'come on over' and when I got there we rode around the city. Great guy if emotionally stunted, strangely brilliant and completely immature at the same time (would need a shrink to analyze, but probably something of a narcissist) - at the end of the day he gave me his most recent recordings, and that night at Paul's Mall he was incredible, better than I heard him on any recordings of the time - the day was also interesting, but I will remain discrete for the here and now - Quote
blind-blake Posted August 3, 2008 Author Report Posted August 3, 2008 One of the things that also struck me about the film was that Art was living in a VERY modest home or apartment. I would have thought that such a jazz star would have been living in fancier surroundings. Quote
jazzbo Posted August 3, 2008 Report Posted August 3, 2008 Jazz star. . . fancier surroundings. . .not necessarily two things that go together! (Especially when expensive habits are around). Quote
marcello Posted August 3, 2008 Report Posted August 3, 2008 Is that the one where he plays a blues with Jimmy Witherspoon? That's a frightening solo! No, not this video. But that one sound intriguing, as well. I'll have to look for it. Here it is... Jimmy Witherspoon with Art Pepper Jimmy Witherspoon (voc), Art Pepper (as), Roy Alexander (organ), Terry Evans (g), Maurice Simon Jr. (dms) September 1981 - Lighthouse Café, Los Angeles * ROLL 'EM PETE TV Broadcast * UNKNOW TITLE ¾ L.A. JAZZ. No. 1. Copyright Collection Burns/Grillo/Riche for ABC Video Enterprises, Inc., 1981. Director: Louis J. Horvitz; Producer: Bonnie Burns. 30 mins., color, 3/4" videocassette. VBD 2147 Concentrating on West Coast sounds taped at the Lighthouse Cafe, this first of a series of videos focuses on Ahmad Jamal (with the support of Payton Crossley and Thomas Palmer) and Jimmy Witherspoon and his Band, with a special guest appearance by Art Pepper. Hosted by Leonard Feather. Quote
blind-blake Posted August 4, 2008 Author Report Posted August 4, 2008 Is that the one where he plays a blues with Jimmy Witherspoon? That's a frightening solo! No, not this video. But that one sound intriguing, as well. I'll have to look for it. Here it is... Jimmy Witherspoon with Art Pepper Jimmy Witherspoon (voc), Art Pepper (as), Roy Alexander (organ), Terry Evans (g), Maurice Simon Jr. (dms) September 1981 - Lighthouse Café, Los Angeles * ROLL 'EM PETE TV Broadcast * UNKNOW TITLE ¾ L.A. JAZZ. No. 1. Copyright Collection Burns/Grillo/Riche for ABC Video Enterprises, Inc., 1981. Director: Louis J. Horvitz; Producer: Bonnie Burns. 30 mins., color, 3/4" videocassette. VBD 2147 Concentrating on West Coast sounds taped at the Lighthouse Cafe, this first of a series of videos focuses on Ahmad Jamal (with the support of Payton Crossley and Thomas Palmer) and Jimmy Witherspoon and his Band, with a special guest appearance by Art Pepper. Hosted by Leonard Feather. Wow! This sounds great! Pepper and Witherspoon together. What an interesting but completely logical pairing. Quote
straightlife Posted October 6, 2008 Report Posted October 6, 2008 Just watched this last night. Anybody else ever see this? It's just incredible. First off, Art's playing is transcendent. His tone, technique, his total control over his instrument is astounding. A reading of a song that is dedicated to his wife (our song?) is particularly heart-wrentching. The pianist, whose name is escaping me (it is Russian sounding), was also amazingly soulful and technically monstrous. The film is puntuated by Art's storytelling, which is completely captivating -- painfully personal at times (especially with regard to his family history, addiction, health, and incarceration), and highly amusing at others. (Among other things, we learn that the man was a pro-football afficiando, God bless hs heart.) His wife Laurie is also wonderful. Not only is she a real cutie, but her own stories and accounts of their relationship are fascinitating. She is/was a beautiful person - articulate, down-to-earth, blissful, and completely devoted to art and his music. Highly recommended! Hey, folks. Here's another piece of info to attach to all this. Roy Alexander (organ) on this date, was married to Art's estranged daughter, Patricia, for 33 years! Now that Roy and Art have both passed, Patricia and I have gotten in touch and have become good friends. I've now been looking in vain for a copy of this little pirated recording. Patricia and I would both love to have it. Anybody know where it can be found -- no lawsuits or recriminations to the maker of it. Best to all the fans, Laurie Pepper Quote
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