Straight Life - Art Pepper [112]
Since his return to jazz, considers Art, he hasn't noted any pro gressive changes. "Matter of fact," he declares, "so far as I can see, the music has stagnated. Nothing new is happening now, there's no progress evident like when I was a kid. Another thing I've noticed is that there's no spirit of camaraderie among jazz musicians anymore. They all seem to follow the attitude of the nation: competition. 'Keeping up with the Joneses' is keeping down the jazzman.
"When I was coming up," Art reflected nostalgically, "there were 13 or 14 big swing bands. There was a need for blowers. Today, who are the blowers going to blow for, themselves?
"But then there are hardly any really good young musicians. Just Bird and Miles imitations-all the way. And to make it worse, today it seems like nobody is helping anybody else, saying, 'blow, man, blow.' So it's really not the young cats' fault."
For a jazz musician who unequivocally states, "I dig blowing by myself; I feel I play better," Art Pepper's biggest ambition is somewhat surprising! He'd like to have a big band of his own-12 or 13 pieces.
"I want a band that could shout, along the lines of Kenton's or Woody's, with way out arrangements. But," with a sigh, "money is imperative. And then, if Barnet can't make it all year round, how can I? No, I've got no hopes at all of ever having a band like that."
Reflecting on the future, Art murmured with a wistfulness somehow lent substance by perceivable resolve, "In my 50s I'd like to write a symphony." Then, strongly, "I make no distinction between jazz and classical music, so I don't see what's so strange in my wanting to write an important long work, do you?"
Reverting to the more immediate future, however, "I'd really like to come up with something original. It would have to be a swinging thing. To find a sound ... something of my own, though, not like a chamber group. Jazz, in the purest sense of the word. Maybe a combination of alto, tenor, trombone, and rhythm; or alto, tenor, and rhythm. Anyway, whatever it'll be, I'd like my own group to have the popular success of, say, Chico Hamilton's."
The Art Pepper of December, 1957, is remote in spirit and ambition from the pitiable addict of three years ago. For helping him on the road to recovery, he expresses deep-felt gratitude to Richard Bock, president of World Pacific Records, ". . . and all people who've helped me. When I got out of jail," he said, "I had no wife, no girlzero. But Dick Bock contacted me then and gave, just gave me money to put me back on my feet. How can I ever forget that? He's helped me many times since when I didn't know what I was going to do.
"But my wife is the one who's made me happier than I've ever been in my life. Now I really look forward to my older years. I used to be scared of growing old-but not now. Diane has done more for me in one year than all others did in my life's entirety.
"Whatever I may do in music from now on and whatever credit I may get for it belongs to her. She didn't give me back just my selfrespect and career. Diane gave me back my life." down beat, January 9, 1958. Copyright 1958 by down beat. Reprinted by special permission.
ART PEPPER
"Living without love is like not living at all"
For over a decade, Art Pepper has been recognized as belonging in the top echelon of modern jazz alto saxophonists.
This sensitive, serious minded musician, at 33, is perhaps at the height of his creativity.
Pepper was born in the Los Angeles suburb of Gardena; is thus an original "west coaster." His earliest jazz influence, he says, was tenor man Zoot Sims.
While playing