Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982)[1] was an American jazz musician, most known as an alto saxophonist. He occasionally performed and recorded on tenor saxophone, clarinet (his first instrument) and bass clarinet. Active primarily in West Coast jazz, Pepper first came to prominence in Stan Kenton's big band. He was known for his emotionally charged performances and several stylistic shifts throughout his career, and was described by critic Scott Yanow as having "attained his goal of becoming the world's greatest altoist" at the time of his death in 1982.[2]
Art Pepper was born in Gardena, California, United States.[3] His mother was a 14-year-old runaway; his father, a merchant seaman. Both were violent alcoholics, and when Pepper was still quite young, he was sent to live with his paternal grandmother. He expressed early musical interest and talent, and he was given lessons. He began playing clarinet at the age of nine, switched to alto saxophone at 13,[4] and immediately began jamming on Central Avenue, the black nightclub district of Los Angeles.
His career was repeatedly interrupted by several prison stints stemming from his addiction to heroin,[4] but Pepper managed to have several productive "comebacks". Remarkably, his substance abuse and legal travails did not affect the quality of his recordings, which maintained a high level of musicianship throughout his career until his death in 1982.
His last comeback saw Pepper, who had started his career in Stan Kenton's big band, becoming a member of Buddy Rich's Big Band from 1968 to 1969. After beginning methadone therapy in the mid-1970s, he toured Europe and Japan with his own groups and recorded many albums, mostly for Galaxy Records, a subsidiary of Fantasy Records., Pepper's later albums include Living Legend, Art Pepper Today, Among Friends, and Live in Japan.[4]
Pepper lived for many years in the hills of Echo Park, in Los Angeles. He became a heroin addict in the 1940s, and his career was interrupted by drug-related prison sentences in 1954–56, 1960–61, 1961–64, and 1964–65; the final two sentences were served in San Quentin.[1] While in San Quentin, he played in an ensemble with saxophonist Frank Morgan.[5] In the late 1960s, Pepper spent time in Synanon, a rehabilitation program that turned out to be a cult.
His autobiography,[6]Straight Life (1980, co-written with his third wife Laurie Pepper), discusses the jazz music world, as well as drug and criminal subcultures of mid-20th century California. Among the many anecdotes shared from his life, Pepper boasts of raping a woman while stationed in London during the Second World War (deserved, in his view, because he had shared whiskey and walked several miles with her).[7] Soon after the publication of this book, director Don McGlynn released the documentary film Art Pepper: Notes from a Jazz Survivor,[8] discussing his life and featuring interviews with both Art and his wife Laurie, as well as footage from a live performance in a Malibu jazz club. Laurie Pepper also released an interview to NPR.
Pepper died of a stroke in Los Angeles on June 15, 1982, aged 56.[6][9] He is interred in the Abbey of the Psalms Mausoleum in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood.
Jazz 2: Sax Alto. Transcribed by John Robert Brown. International Music Publications, Woodford Green, Essex, 1986. ISBN0-86359-408-5. Includes 'Round Midnight.
The Genius of Art Pepper. Foreword by Laurie Pepper. North Sydney, Warner/Chappell Music, 1987. ISBN1-86362-012-5. Includes: Arthur's Blues; Blues for Blanche; Funny Blues; Landscape; Make a List Make a Wish; Mambo de la Pinta; Mambo Koyama; Mr Big Falls his J.G. Hand; Our Song; Road Game; September Song; Tete a Tete. All transcriptions include parts for Alto and Rhythm; Funny Blues also has a part for Trumpet.
Masters of the Alto Saxophone Play The Blues. Jazz Alto Solos. Transcribed by Trent Kynaston and Jonathan Ball. Corybant Productions, 1990. Includes True Blues.
The Art Pepper Collection. Foreword by Jeff Sultanof. Milwaukee, Hal Leonard, 1995. ISBN0-7935-4007-0. Includes: Art's Oregano; Diane; Landscape; Las Cuevas de Mario; Make a List (Make a Wish); Mr. Big Falls his J.G. Hand; Ophelia; Pepper Returns; Sometime; Straight Life; Surf Ride(I); Surf Ride(II); That's Love; The Trip; Waltz Me Blues.
West Coast Jazz Saxophone Solos transcribed and edited by Robert A. Luckey, Ph.D. Features 15 recorded solos from 1952 to 1961, including five solos by Art Pepper. Olympia Music Publishing, 1996. ISBN0-9667047-1-1.
1965: Ernie Edwards Jr. et al. "Jazz Discographies Unlimited" Presents "Art Pepper". A Complete Discography Compiled by Ernie Edwards, Jr. Jazz Discographies Unlimited, Spotlight Series, Vol. 4. October 1965. 22pp.
1973: C. Marra, "Art Pepper: 'I'm Here to Stay!'" Downbeat, xl/4, 1973, p. 16.
1975: L. Underwood, "Pepper's Painful Road to Pure Art". Downbeat, xlii/11, 1975, p. 16.
1981: Gary Giddins, "The Whiteness of the Wail", in Riding on a Blue Note. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981, pp. 252–257. (An article originally published in July 1977.)
1986: David Nicholson Pepperell, "Art Pepper: I Want to Play so Bad", Wire Magazine, Issue 28, June 1986, pp. 26–31.
1986: Gary Giddins, "Art Pepper, 1926-1982", in Rhythm-a-ning: Jazz Tradition and Innovation in the 80s. New York: OUP, 1986, pp. 106–108. (An article originally published in June 1982.)
1992: Ted Gioia, "Straight Life", in West Coast Jazz: Modern Jazz in California, 1945-1960. New York and Oxford: OUP, 1992, pp. 283–307 (Chapter Fourteen). ISBN0-19-508916-2.
2000: Todd Selbert, The Art Pepper Companion: Writings on a Jazz Original. Cooper Square Press, 2000. ISBN978-0-8154-1067-6.
