Straight Life - Art Pepper [158]
Japan again in March, 1978. We traveled and performed eighteen days out of nineteen. My band, from left to right: Milcho Leviev, Bob Magnusson, and Carl Burnett, all fine musicians. We played large, medium, and small halls and tiny nightclubs. This is a rehearsal in a huge hall in Hiroshima. Photo by Ted Kimura. Used by permission.
One of the most pleasant record dates I've ever done-Art Pepper: Among Friends, September, 1978. From left to right: me; drummer, Frank Butler; bassist, Bob Magnusson; and pianist, Russ Freeman. Photo by Laurie Pepper.
I like this portrait Laurie took of meat the Among Friends date, September 2, 1978, the day after my birthday. Photo by Laurie Pepper.
This picture was taken recently at Dontes, a Los Angeles jazz club. I've played there many, many times, and each time it's a battle; I'm out to conquer the audience. I feel my whole musical life is on the line with each performance. In this picture it looks like I'm winning. Photo by Laurie Pepper.
At Dontes, ready to try to win again. I think my expression in this picture suggests how hard it is to play jazz. Photo by Laurie Pepper.
With Ralph Kaffel, President of Fantasy Records. "He was everything Art admired in a man ... a gentleman." At Fantasy Studios, at the Straight Life session, September 1979. Photo by Laurie Pepper
Art and producer Ed Michel at the Winter Moon session. Art said this ballads-with-strings album was the best record he ever made. Fantasy Studios, September, 1980. Photo by Laurie Pepper
TOP: Artand Laurie, backstage at Yubin Chokin Hall, Tokyo, July, 1979, during the Landscape tour. Photo by K. Abe, used by permission
MIDDLE: Art and Laurie on the book tour, San Francisco, the jack Tar Hotel, November, 1979. Photo by Phil Bray, used by permission
BOTTOM: Art and Laurie at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley 1981. Photo by Phil Bray, used by permission
"Art, onstage, during those years, was a riot.... He didn't tell jokes, he told stories." At Donte's, circa 1980. Photo by Laurie Pepper
The Art Pepper Quartet wearing their band jackets: Carl Burnett, drums; George Cables, piano; Art; David Williams, bass. The background, including other people in the backstage area of a nightclub, has been airbrushed out, but this was taken in Australia in August, 1981. Photo by Laurie Pepper
With George in Japan, on tour, November, 1981. Photo byK. Abe, used by permission
"I remember a day." Off Seattle, circa 1980. Photo by Laurie Pepper
We got to the lower yard, and I was feeling kind of sick, and Ernie said, "Now, dig these cats here." There were a bunch of courts where the Mexicans were playing handball, and there were two full-sized basketball courts. I saw these guys playing basketball that looked like Mexicans, but they weren't. And then I realized that they were righteous Indians, American Indians. Ernie said, "Dig these guys and get a good look at them, and if you ever find yourself in any close proximity to them get away as soon as you can. Never let them see you staring at them. Never bump into them. Watch yourself because they're dangerous. They hate everyone but themselves."
You stay in D section for a while and then you're moved to another section. I was kept in the South Block and moved up to the fifth tier.
Twice a week they'd have a shower run. They call out, "Showers!" You take your blues off; they rack the gates and run you downstairs to the showers in sections. There's about ten shower heads in these open showers, and there's this huge number of men in line waiting to get in. So as you go into the shower you throw your underwear into a bin and then you try to figure out some way to get under a shower head. There might have been five or six or ten people to a shower head, so you got clean the best way you could and then you got in line by the white room. When your turn finally came they'd give you a towel, and you'd give them your size. They'd give you the closest thing they had to your size. If you wore size thirty-two shorts they might give you a thirty-four or a thirty-six