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I hope this finds everyone healthy and well amidst the global COVID-19
pandemic. My university lecture tour in the Midwestern U.S. has been
cancelled. In its place, I’ve spent all four weeks listening to all of Pepper
Adams’s solos from 1956-1969. Quite a lot of material, and lots of
surprising things I’ve discovered that I’ll be discussing in the second half
of the biography.
Because of COVID, the publication date of the Pepper Adams biography
has been delayed too, as I await my final readers’ suggestions while they
deal with the crisis in their own way. Thus far, their very useful suggestions for
improving the text have necessitated tweaks and rewrites, with others no doubt
forthcoming. Although it’s kept me from formatting the ebook and finally making
it available to the public, the eventual book will be much better indeed.
Since I haven’t yet turned to actually formatting the ebook, I’m not sure if I can
embed music links in the text itself, as I’ve originally planned. With this in mind,
as a backup plan I’ve decided to assemble an appendix with all the music links in
it, organized by title. Here’s how some of the links found in Chapter 8 look thus far:
Appendix: Selected Music
Links
Soon after Pepper Adams moved to New York City in January, 1956, he became
a first-call section player, who participated on many superb recordings in which he
wasn’t asked to solo. Because his dates as a leader and his saxophones solos are
given primacy throughout the book, below, for the sake of contrast, are some of his
notable projects in which he does not solo. Please also note that on many of the
recordings mentioned in the book where Adams is asked to take a solo, there are so
many other great performances on those dates in which he only functions as a
section player. The remaining eighty percent or so of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis
Orchestra’s extraordinary body of work would be a good starting point.
A Child Is Born (Chapter 8, 17 May 1975)
A Child Is Born (Chapter 8, 13 December 1975)
A Child Is Born (Chapter 8, 22 February 1977)
A Child Is Born (Chapter 8, 28 February 1977)
Afternoon in Paris (Chapter 8, 17 May 1975)
A Secret (Chapter 8, 8 November 1972)
Alone Together (Chapter 8, 28 July 1974)
Autumn Leaves Chapter 8, 28 July 1974)
Bouncing with Bud (Chapter 8, 10 September 1973)
Bossa Nouveau (Chapter 8, 12 December 1975)
Cherokee (Chapter 8, 17 May 1975)
Civilization and Its Discontents (Chapter 8, 10 September 1973)
Civilization and Its Discontents (Chapter 8, 1 May, 1977)
Civilization and Its Discontents (Chapter 8, 9 February 1975)
Civilization and Its Discontents (Chapter 8, 20 April 1975)
Donna Lee (Chapter 8, 23 November 1975)
E-7/A7 Vamp (Chapter 8, 24 November 1975)
East St. Louis Toodle-Oo (Chapter 8, 17 July 1977)
Ephemera (Chapter 8, 10 September 1973)
Ephemera (Chapter 8, 17 May 1975)
Falling in Love with Love (Chapter 8, 17 May 1975)
Falling in Love with Love (Chapter 8, 13 December 1975)
Did You Call Her Today (Chapter 8, 12 December 1975)
Hellure (Chapter 8, 10 September 1973)
Hellure (Chapter 8, 24 November 1975)
I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart (Chapter 8, 17 May 1975)
In a Mellow Tone (Chapter 8, 1 May 1977)
In a Sentimental Mood (Chapter 8, 6 November 1972)
In a Sentimental Mood (Chapter 8, 24 November 1975)
Jitterbug Waltz (Chapter 8, 5 June 1970)
Jitterbug Waltz (Chapter 8, 10 September 1973)
Julian (Chapter 8, 13 August 1975)
Julian (Chapter 8, 20 June 1976)
Jumpin’ Punkins (Chapter 8, 17 July 1977)
Lady Luck (Chapter 8, 13 August 1975)
Main Stem (Chapter 8, 17 July 1977)
Mean What You Say (Chapter 8, 9 February 1975)
Mean What You Say (Chapter 8, 23 November 1975)
Mr. Wonderful (Chapter 8, 5 June 1970)
On Green Dolphin Street (Chapter 8, 20 April 1975)
Patrice (Chapter 8, 10 September 1973)
Quiet Lady (Chapter 8, 10 September 1973)
Quiet Lady (Chapter 8, 21 June 1974)
Quiet Lady (Chapter 8, 9 February 1975)
Royal Garden Blues (Chapter 8, 21 June 1974)
Sophisticated Lady (Chapter 8, 9 February 1975)
Sophisticated Lady (Chapter 8, 20 April 1975)
Sophisticated Lady (Chapter 8, 1 May, 1977)
Stella by Starlight (Chapter 8, 10 September 1971)
Straight, No Chaser (Chapter 8, 21 June 1974)
Sweet Sue (Chapter 8, 12 December 1975)
Three and One (Chapter 8, 5 June 1970)
Three Little Words (Chapter 8, 9 February 1975)
’Tis (Chapter 8, 13 August 1975)
’Tis (Chapter 8, 12 December 1975)
’Tis (Chapter 8, two versions from 20 April 1975)
Twelfth and Pingree (Chapter 8, 20 June 1976)
What Is This Thing Called Love (Chapter 8, 20 April 1975)
Witchcraft (Chapter 8, 12 December 1975)
Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (Chapter 8, 24 November 1975)
Lastly, I’m also very pleased with the new book covers that Pete Lukas has
designed. He’s also added a drawing of Adams to my dedication page. Here’s some
info on the book:
