Art Pepper: The Hollywood Allstar Sessions

[RonF]

Is anyone familiar with this 5-CD boxed set from Galaxy? Recorded between '79-'82. I have a chance to get a deal. I'll probably pop but I was hoping for opinions.

[DrJ]

A friend of mine gave me the single CD compilation of stuff from this box. Although I'm still fully exploring it, my overall assessment is "nice but far from essential." If you're a Pepper fanatic, you'll want it. Otherwise, I'm not sure. For me what lets it down in many spots are the rather staid rhythm sections...later period Pepper cried out for a more dynamic, energetic approach (Cables/Williams/Higgins or Elvin Jones).

[Brad]

Get this box! You'll never regret it. There are sessions with Bill Watrous that I love, as well as a session with Milcho Leviev and Jack Sheldon where they do Night and Day that is just superb; I've never heard it better. Plus there are two sessions with Sonny Stitt. The only downer were the liner notes by Art's wife. I didn't think they were very informative. But that's a really minor complaint. There is really some great music here.

[brownie]

If the deal is right, get it. It's really good. Not Pepper at his very best but really good. For Pepper at his very best, the box to look for is the 'Complete Village Vanguard Sessions', a 9CD Contemporary/Fantasy set. But it's more expensive!

[danasgoodstuff]

I kinda liked Laurie Pepper's notes which provide insight into Art the complicated person, rather than technical stuff about the music. Basically he got to be a sideman on his own records here (kinda like [D]erek & the Dominoes that way). Which means he wasn't responsible for the albums on a conceptual level and was free to just play well on material, and with people, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to do otherwise. If you're at least a 'pretty big' Pepper fan you'll probably dig it. I certainly do. But then I own the complete Galaxy box (16CDs), so I guess I'm more than a pretty big fan.

[andersf]

I would recommend it as well; the notes by Laurie Pepper are very good, provide the background to the sessions; but it is also interesting to hear Art Pepper playing as part of a somewhat larger ensamble.

Compared to the Village Vanguard sessions, less intense. But still not at all bad.

[Tom in RI]

I also dug Laurie Pepper's notes on this set. I think its well worth having. AMG give a lengthy writeup on this with comments on each session. Highlights for me are the sides with Bob Cooper.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&u...l=Afmec97rskr0t

[P.D.]

I like this too.. mainly because, as has been pointed out, you get Pepper playing in a variety of different settings, somewhat unusual for his later recordings, and with some musicians that he rarely recorded with.

[jlhoots]

Good discussion.

Not just for completists.

Shows aspects of Pepper not displayed elsewhere.

Get it!

[desertblues]

I like this box also-and if you want a sampler of these sessions it's called "Art Standards" (Galaxy CD). It has four of the tracks with Stitt and the sound is great. Then you will definitely want the box...

[RonF]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. As I mentioned, money's burning a hole in my pocket anyway, but I'm sold!

[Gordokae]

Have this same boxed set from Japan on the DAN Label.

Also have all of the ATLAS/Yupiteru very same LPs that made up this set. Am thinking about going on E-Bay to sell the LPs.

What'd think?

Gordon