Recorded at the Surf Club in Los Angeles in February 1952, these performances capture Art Pepper at the defining moment of his early career as a leader. Having recently left Stan Kenton's orchestra, he found his ideal musical setting in his first great quartet with Hampton Hawes, Joe Mondragon, and Larry Bunker—a group whose freshness, swing, and freedom helped shape the emerging West Coast jazz scene.

 Alongside inspired performances of jazz standards and bebop classics, Pepper introduced a remarkable series of original compositions, revealing a melodic imagination every bit as distinctive as his extraordinary improvisations. Recorded during the brief existence of this remarkable formation, these performances preserve the moment when Art Pepper fully found his own musical voice.

—Jordi Pujol

 

Tracklist

01. Night in Tunisia (Gillespie-Paparelli) 5:52

02. Spiked Punch (Art Pepper) 5:06

03. The Way You Look Tonight (Kern-Fields) 3:35

04. Minor Yours (Art Pepper) 5:11

05. Suzy the Poodle (Art Pepper) 3:47

06. Easy Steppin' (Art Pepper) 5:43

07. Chili Pepper (Art Pepper) 5:01

08. LAMJHP (Art Pepper) 5:56

09. Move (Denzil Best) 5:17

10. All the Things You Are (Kern-Hammerstein II) 5:43

11. Rose Room (Williams-Hickman) 5:53

12. How High the Moon (Lewis Hamilton) 4:00

13. Tickle Toe (Lester Young) 4:20

14. Patty Cake (Art Pepper) 4:26

15. Don't Blame Me (Kern-Hammerstein II) 3:41

16. Surf Ride (Art Pepper) 4:43

17. Everything Happens to Me (Dennis-Adair) 1:53

 

ART PEPPER QUARTET

Art Pepper, alto sax & clarinet (#11); Hampton Hawes, piano; Joe Mondragon, bass; Larry Bunker, drums & vibes (#7 & 14).

Recorded live at the Surf Club, Los Angeles, February 12, 1952

 

A Note on the Recordings and Photographs:

The live performances presented on this release were recorded by Bob Andrews, a devoted Los Angeles jazz enthusiast and owner of a local record shop situated not far from the Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach. Using his Pentron tape recorder and a single microphone, Andrews regularly documented performances at several Southern California clubs, including the Surf Club, the Lighthouse, and the Tradewinds. Although made under informal circumstances, his recordings have become invaluable historical documents, preserving many remarkable performances that would otherwise have been lost.

 

The previously unpublished photographs reproduced in this booklet were taken by saxophonist Dave Pell during the Art Pepper Quartet's engagement at the Surf Club in February 1952. A gifted photographer as well as an outstanding musician, Pell preserved a unique visual record of these performances through a series of photographs taken from the bandstand.

 

Together, Andrews's recordings and Pell's photographs provide a rare opportunity to experience Art Pepper's first great quartet both as it sounded and as it looked during its brief but remarkable engagement at the Surf Club.

 

Recordings by Bob Andrews

Photographs: Dave Pell © Fresh Sound Records

 

This compilation produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol

 

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