Art Pepper (1925-1982) is generally considered the greatest alto saxophonist of the post-Charlie Parker generation.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
Art Pepper was as compelling a memoirist as he was a soloist-a jazz anti-hero. These pieces come close to capturing him in his full dimension, shedding light not only on Pepper's recordings, but on his searing autobiography Straight Life. (Francis Davis )
Art Pepper was as compelling a memoirist as he was a soloist-a jazz anti-hero. These pieces come close to capturing him in his full dimension, shedding light not only on Pepper's recordings, but on his searing autobiography Straight Life. (Francis Davis )
Nobody has followed Pepper's career more closely than Todd Selbert, and his judicious selection of commentary will not only remind Pepper's admirers of the roots of their enjoyment, but will lead a new generation to discover its beauties for themselves. (Jack Chambers )
Every time Art Pepper picked up a horn his jazz playing was scalding in its intensity. The Art Pepper Companion superbly conveys both the triumph of Pepper's music and the tragedy of his life. (Eric Nisenson )
Every time Art Pepper picked up a horn his jazz playing was scalding in its intensity. The Art Pepper Companion superbly conveys both the triumph of Pepper's music and the tragedy of his life. (Eric Nisenson )
Jazz writer Todd Selbert has compiled 25 years' worth of articles about Pepper.... It makes for a good companion piece to Straight Life, but it also stands alone in celebrating a neglected and troubled musician. (Jeff Hinkle Phoenix New Times )
Jazz writer Todd Selbert has compiled 25 years' worth of articles about Pepper.... It makes for a good companion piece to Straight Life, but it also stands alone in celebrating a neglected and troubled musician. (Jeff Hinkle Phoenix New Times )
This is more than the celebration of a great American original. This is the inside dope on a whole way of life, the stuff of legend, and reading The Art Peper Companion allows us to see and hear how that tortured life produced one of the most haunting voices in jazz. (Ben Sidran )
This is more than the celebration of a great American original. This is the inside dope on a whole way of life, the stuff of legend, and reading The Art Peper Companion allows us to see and hear how that tortured life produced one of the most haunting voices in jazz. (Ben Sidran )
Art Pepper embodied so many of the qualities of jazz in his time.... It would be great to think that players such as Art Pepper will come along again, but I wouldn't bet on it. Meanwhile, we have this handsome, intriguing collection as a memorial. (Derek Bailey )
Despite the turmoil of his private life, Art Pepper always created inspired jazz.... Todd Selbert has done the jazz world a great service in bringing together the best articles about Pepper. They highlight the achievements of a jazzman whose playing has gathered a remarkably durable international following. (John Chilton )
For insights into the life and work of a musical legend, this collection is indispensable. (Jazz Canadiana )
This varied, finely spiced collection contains bravura performances by well-known and outspoken jazz writers. In the aggregate, they present everything you ever wanted to know about a crucial era in jazz history as seen through the microcosm of the life and music of one troubled but extraordinarily gifted alto saxophonist.... Don't miss these riches. (Leslie Gourse )
A fine volume. There are many pieces by writers that I'll bet not too many non-obsessives have yet read and these pieces, along with a few other semi-obscure essays and interviews make this book a solid read. There are wonderful passages on Pepper's early and late work.... The focus and the wonder of the book is how the saxophonist was able to triumph over his prodigious self-destructiveness and make consistently excellent music. . . . This book should encourage a renewed interest in this fascinating jazzman. (Face, (Portland, Maine) )
A valuable book about one of America's finest artists. (John Litweiler )
This valuable collection includes pieces by some of the best jazz critics: WHITNEY BALLIETT, TED GIOIA, BOB BLUMENTHAL, LEONARD FEATHER, MARTIN WILLIAMS, GROVER LEWIS, GARY GIDDINS, and DAN MORGENSTERN.... Clearly, the editor wanted this book to be more than just a look inside Pepper's album covers, and he has succeeded. (Jazz Times )
These selections are compelling, intelligent, and convincing. . . . You will hear jazz better, and appreciate Pepper more, from just thumbing through these pages. The writing is erudite, impassioned, and on a par with a musician whose every note deserves attention with this book at the listener's side. (Philadelphia Tribune )
The troubled career of jazz great Art Pepper is chronicled in interviews, liner notes, reviews, critical studies, and retrospectives by jazz connoisseurs in The Art Pepper Companion. Battling drug addiction and serving frequent jail time, the alto saxophonist nevertheless continued to innovate. [This volume] recounts Pepper's efforts in life and music, and reveal the honest reverence received by this musician from peers and audiences alike. (Publishers Weekly )
The troubled career of jazz great Art Pepper is chronicled in interviews, liner notes, reviews, critical studies, and retrospectives by jazz connoisseurs in The Art Pepper Companion. Battling drug addiction and serving frequent jail time, the alto saxophonist nevertheless continued to innovate. [This volume] recounts Pepper's efforts in life and music, and reveal the honest reverence received by this musician from peers and audiences alike. (Publishers Weekly )
This is the most significant book on the greatest saxophonist of the post-Charlie Parker era published since Pepper's autobiography Straight Life. (Allaboutjazz.Com )
This is the most significant book on the greatest saxophonist of the post-Charlie Parker era published since Pepper's autobiography Straight Life. (Allaboutjazz.Com )
With this remarkable set of articles now available in one place, there is no longer any excuse for not knowing just how creative and important Art Pepper was. (John F. Szwed )
This collection brings the initiated and unititiated alike into the heart and soul of Art Pepper's jazz. (Paul Zollo )
I actually found it very easy to open the book at any chapter and start reading. Companion is a fascinating account of a great musician whose demons haunted him until the day he passed away. No matter what kind of music or instrument you like, one needs to read The Art Pepper Companion. (Goldmine )
...consistently demonstrates just how inspiring a good subject can be. Consistently engaging, often disturbing, genuinely thought-provoking in its reflections on race in jazz culture in the '50's, the book is worthy of its subject. (Bi-Monthly(Toronto) )
Art Pepper was as compelling a memoirist as he was a soloist-a jazz anti-hero. These pieces come close to capturing him in his full dimension, shedding light not only on Pepper's recordings, but on his searing autobiography Straight Life. (Francis Davis )
Nobody has followed Pepper's career more closely than Todd Selbert, and his judicious selection of commentary will not only remind Pepper's admirers of the roots of their enjoyment, but will lead a new generation to discover its beauties for themselves. (Jack Chambers )
Every time Art Pepper picked up a horn his jazz playing was scalding in its intensity. The Art Pepper Companion superbly conveys both the triumph of Pepper's music and the tragedy of his life. (Eric Nisenson )
Every time Art Pepper picked up a horn his jazz playing was scalding in its intensity. The Art Pepper Companion superbly conveys both the triumph of Pepper's music and the tragedy of his life. (Eric Nisenson )
Jazz writer Todd Selbert has compiled 25 years' worth of articles about Pepper.... It makes for a good companion piece to Straight Life, but it also stands alone in celebrating a neglected and troubled musician. (Jeff Hinkle Phoenix New Times )
Jazz writer Todd Selbert has compiled 25 years' worth of articles about Pepper.... It makes for a good companion piece to Straight Life, but it also stands alone in celebrating a neglected and troubled musician. (Jeff Hinkle Phoenix New Times )
This is more than the celebration of a great American original. This is the inside dope on a whole way of life, the stuff of legend, and reading The Art Peper Companion allows us to see and hear how that tortured life produced one of the most haunting voices in jazz. (Ben Sidran )
This is more than the celebration of a great American original. This is the inside dope on a whole way of life, the stuff of legend, and reading The Art Peper Companion allows us to see and hear how that tortured life produced one of the most haunting voices in jazz. (Ben Sidran )
Art Pepper embodied so many of the qualities of jazz in his time.... It would be great to think that players such as Art Pepper will come along again, but I wouldn't bet on it. Meanwhile, we have this handsome, intriguing collection as a memorial. (Derek Bailey )
Despite the turmoil of his private life, Art Pepper always created inspired jazz.... Todd Selbert has done the jazz world a great service in bringing together the best articles about Pepper. They highlight the achievements of a jazzman whose playing has gathered a remarkably durable international following. (John Chilton )
For insights into the life and work of a musical legend, this collection is indispensable. (Jazz Canadiana )
This varied, finely spiced collection contains bravura performances by well-known and outspoken jazz writers. In the aggregate, they present everything you ever wanted to know about a crucial era in jazz history as seen through the microcosm of the life and music of one troubled but extraordinarily gifted alto saxophonist.... Don't miss these riches. (Leslie Gourse )
A fine volume. There are many pieces by writers that I'll bet not too many non-obsessives have yet read and these pieces, along with a few other semi-obscure essays and interviews make this book a solid read. There are wonderful passages on Pepper's early and late work.... The focus and the wonder of the book is how the saxophonist was able to triumph over his prodigious self-destructiveness and make consistently excellent music. . . . This book should encourage a renewed interest in this fascinating jazzman. (Face, (Portland, Maine) )
A valuable book about one of America's finest artists. (John Litweiler )
This valuable collection includes pieces by some of the best jazz critics: WHITNEY BALLIETT, TED GIOIA, BOB BLUMENTHAL, LEONARD FEATHER, MARTIN WILLIAMS, GROVER LEWIS, GARY GIDDINS, and DAN MORGENSTERN.... Clearly, the editor wanted this book to be more than just a look inside Pepper's album covers, and he has succeeded. (Jazz Times )
These selections are compelling, intelligent, and convincing. . . . You will hear jazz better, and appreciate Pepper more, from just thumbing through these pages. The writing is erudite, impassioned, and on a par with a musician whose every note deserves attention with this book at the listener's side. (Philadelphia Tribune )
The troubled career of jazz great Art Pepper is chronicled in interviews, liner notes, reviews, critical studies, and retrospectives by jazz connoisseurs in The Art Pepper Companion. Battling drug addiction and serving frequent jail time, the alto saxophonist nevertheless continued to innovate. [This volume] recounts Pepper's efforts in life and music, and reveal the honest reverence received by this musician from peers and audiences alike. (Publishers Weekly )
The troubled career of jazz great Art Pepper is chronicled in interviews, liner notes, reviews, critical studies, and retrospectives by jazz connoisseurs in The Art Pepper Companion. Battling drug addiction and serving frequent jail time, the alto saxophonist nevertheless continued to innovate. [This volume] recounts Pepper's efforts in life and music, and reveal the honest reverence received by this musician from peers and audiences alike. (Publishers Weekly )
This is the most significant book on the greatest saxophonist of the post-Charlie Parker era published since Pepper's autobiography Straight Life. (Allaboutjazz.Com )
This is the most significant book on the greatest saxophonist of the post-Charlie Parker era published since Pepper's autobiography Straight Life. (Allaboutjazz.Com )
With this remarkable set of articles now available in one place, there is no longer any excuse for not knowing just how creative and important Art Pepper was. (John F. Szwed )
This collection brings the initiated and unititiated alike into the heart and soul of Art Pepper's jazz. (Paul Zollo )
I actually found it very easy to open the book at any chapter and start reading. Companion is a fascinating account of a great musician whose demons haunted him until the day he passed away. No matter what kind of music or instrument you like, one needs to read The Art Pepper Companion. (Goldmine )
...consistently demonstrates just how inspiring a good subject can be. Consistently engaging, often disturbing, genuinely thought-provoking in its reflections on race in jazz culture in the '50's, the book is worthy of its subject. (Bi-Monthly(Toronto) )
About the Author
Todd Selbert compiled the comprehensive discography for Art Pepper's autobiography Straight Life, and has written liner notes for many of Pepper's albums. He lives in New York City.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
TALENTED AND TRAGIC!,
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This review is from: The Art Pepper Companion: Writings on a Jazz Original (Hardcover)
This book is a collection of various articles written about the tragic life of jazz artist and brilliant alto saxophonist Art Pepper. Through photographs and the perspectives of different writers Art Pepper emerges as a gifted tortured "soul". He mesmerized audiences with his innovative rendering of "Caravan," "Over The Rainbow", "When You're Smiling", "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men", and "Here's That Rainy Day", yet his life was a roller coaster of triumphs and failures. He died at age 56 of a cerebral hemorrhage in Los Angeles.In one article, "A Tribute to Art Pepper," by Arthur F. Kinney, this passionate musician is described as " an honest man - never cruel, never angry - but he could make you nervous because you never knew what he was going to say. I hear in his music and his tone his warmth and his humanity. When he played it wasn't an analytical thing; it was emotional, from his heart. He was eccentric, not like many of us, but he gave his love freely and we, most of us, cannot imagine what he went through. He wanted to go out roaring, and he did." After you finish this collection about a gifted and troubled artist, try reading, "Shipmates" by Lorraine Seeley, and "Red Willow's Quest", by Heidi Skarie. Both are tributes of a different genre but each will capture your interest as does this mosaic of Art Pepper.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential reading for the legions of Art Pepper fans,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Art Pepper Companion: Writings on a Jazz Original (Paperback)
Compiled and edited by Todd Selbert, The Art Pepper Companion: Writings On A Jazz Original is an anthology of essays by a vast variety of music critics on the often troubled career and life of famous jazz musician Art Pepper. A diverse selection of perspectives adds an extra dimension of appreciation to the distinctive and memorable impression of his work. The Art Pepper Companion is essential reading for the legions of Art Pepper fans, and a welcome contribution to personal and academic 20th Century American Music History Studies collections.
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