The Homestretch

© Gary Carner. Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.

I’m only a few weeks away from finishing Chapter Ten of the Pepper Adams
biography. It’s the last one that I still have to complete, Chapter Eleven, already
written, is my summation of his life and accomplishments. Ten includes my lengthy
discussion of the Byrd–Adams Quintet, plus a section about Adams's post-West
Coast work in late 1957. I've recently updated subchapters on Monk, Mingus,
Bobby Timmons, critics, heroin use, and living with Elvin Jones, among other
topics. All that's left is to polish what’s written, discuss Pepper's only known original
poem, write about his time on the West Coast and with Stan Kenton, and then
finish up my concluding comments about Adams’s first months in NYC. I have tons
of notes, so it should move quickly. I hope in a month’s time I can report to you that
the book is finished.

Considering all of the anxiety and anguish that’s being experienced all over the
world, here’s an excerpt from Chapter Eight regarding Pepper’s sense of humor:

Although Pepper Adams at root was a very private person, his friends knew him
as a funny guy with an extremely wry sense of humor. “That cat had one of the
keenest and quickest wits,” said the bassist Ray Drummond. The first time that
Adams met the young baritone saxophonist Howard Johnson was in Boston in
1962, when he and the drummer Tony Williams asked Adams to sit in at his gig
at Connolly’s. At the time, Howard Johnson’s was a well-known U.S. restaurant
chain, noted for its ice cream that was widely sold in supermarkets throughout
the country. When it came time for Johnson to step up to the bandstand and play
a number, Adams ad-libbed his brief introduction: “Here’s Howard Johnson,
who is responsible for the ice cream flavor mint clam.” 

Kenny Burrell felt that Pepper’s sense of humor was indicative of his “keen
intellect and a great awareness of current events. “He was a funny guy,” said
Burrell, “but it wasn’t just funny in terms of old wisecracks. He was right up to
date on what was happening.” Bob Wilber agreed that Adams was an amusing
guy. “He had a marvelous sense of humor,” said Wilber. “He could see the funny
things, the ironic things.” One such example took place at a saxophone clinic,
when a student asked members of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis reed section who
they suggested aspiring players like himself should copy. When it was Pepper’s
turn to respond, he broke up everyone in attendance by responding, “If you copy
from one person, it’s plagiarism. If you copy from everybody, it’s research.”

The saxophonist Bob Mover remembered a hilarious moment in Cambridge,
Massachusetts at Adams’s early April, 1982 gig at the Hasty Pudding Club.
When he, Pepper, and the guitarist Joe Cohn were trying to decide what tune
to play, Pepper said, “Let’s do one everybody knows, like Death and
Transfiguration.” Another time, before a concert in New York and very ill
with cancer, the photographer Mitchell Seidel asked Adams if he felt good
enough to play. “It beats staying at home pondering the term ‘life expectancy,’”
was his mordant response. 

Adams liked using puns and one-liners. On the birth of Bess Bonnier’s child,
Adams called her with congratulations, leaving on her answering machine the
concluding quip, “We all knew you had it in you.” Occasionally, rather than
use profanity, Pepper enjoyed using silly euphemisms a la the comedian W.C.
Fields, such as “mother of pearl” or “Godfrey Daniels.” When he told an
amusing story, he would wait a few seconds, with a deadpan expression or a
half-smile on his face, before breaking into laughter.

“He always had me in stitches,” said Frank Foster. “I saw him as a great
American humorist.” Foster spent a lot of time laughing at Pepper’s comments
while they were members of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis reed section. He felt
that Adams, much like the Danish pianist and comedian Victor Borge, could
have very successfully combined music and humor if he had chosen that route. 

In the right setting, Adams enjoyed doing physical comedy bits on stage. In 1960,
at Montreal’s Little Vienna, the guitarist and harmonica player Toots Thielemans
dropped by to sit in with Pepper. Thielemans was in town, working with the singer
and actor Yves Montand. “Toots was playing harmonica,” wrote Keith White,
“and Pepper was doing some bits with his cigarette. He would put it in his mouth
by manipulating his lips, as if to swallow it, and then he would pop it out again.
During one of these episodes, he inhaled deeply, the cigarette was flipped back into
his mouth by his lips maneuvering it, and then he just looked at the audience for a
moment, who didn’t know what exactly to expect, when, suddenly, smoke seemed
to shoot out of both of his ears! Everybody started to break up. Toots even had to
stop playing for a moment.” 

Sometimes he would try to amuse himself. “He was a very warm, outgoing person,”
remembered Ron Kolber, “misunderstood because some people did not appreciate
his sense of humor. They didn’t know what to make of it. They always thought he
was putting them on. If a friend of his would say, ‘I’ll see you later, Pepper,’ he
would say, ‘Thanks for the warning’ or ‘Don’t threaten me,’” and then utter his
customary, idiosyncratic chortle. Adams had a great smile, recalled Ray Mosca, and
Pepper’s ears would stick up like an elf. 

Plenty of musicians admired the droll wit that Adams exuded in his saxophone
solos. One time, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra was playing for a large group
of jazz fans in Belgium, who rented space for their get-togethers above a police
station. “Pepper’s right in the middle of “Once Around,” remembered John Mosca,
“which is a fast, minor solo for him. He’s burning away, really tearing it up, and a
police car comes with a siren on, and he goes right into “I Don’t Want to Set the
World on Fire.” I swear, right in the middle of this solo, and it broke everybody up.
It was very funny!” Another time, when Jones/Lewis was performing a concert at
an amphitheater in Italy, the venue had also been presenting Verdi’s Aida. “Most of
the stage had been cleared,” wrote Lucinda Chodan, “but the props for the opera –
Egyptian-style artifacts – cluttered one side, in full view of the audience. When it
came to Adams’s first solo, his big baritone blasted out a couple of bars of Celeste
Aida, one of the opera’s arias. The crowd was impassive. Thad Jones was laughing
so hard he had to stop playing.”

The

Biography Update

© Gary Carner. Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.











I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and New Year’s. Hopefully, no one caught the flu or a headcold. My apologies for the delay in posting this. I started a new gig that has me working during the weekends.

December was a great month for me. I finished Chapter Four of the Adams biography, leaving only two more to do, and I began Chapter Five. As of this writing, I’ve written twenty pages of Chapter Five, plus the opening page of Chapter Six. It’s so exciting that the blueprint for the bio’s conclusion is now in place. The end of this colossal project is now visible. I can’t begin to tell you how much this journey has meant to me, and how happy I am that I’m almost finished with the biography. That said, there’s still plenty of work to do. Besides the writing, there’s a ton of tapes and LPs to heard anew.

Chapter Four is 43 pages, by far my shortest. Then again, it has associated with it a 34-page Listener’s Guide as an appendix. Put together, it’s about the same length as the other chapters. There will be three Listener’s Guides in the book: 1977-1986 for Chapter Four, 1964-1977 for Chapter Five and 1956-1964 for Chapter Six. Each will discuss my favorite Pepper Adams performances during each of those timespans, and each cut that I discuss will be linked to samples so you can hear the music as you read along. Other music links, too, will be sprinkled throughout the main text. The aim is to make the book interactive.

Here’s outlines to Chapter Four and Chapter Five (in progress):

Chapter Four: Now in Our Lives

Last concert in Montreal
Cancer diagnosis and last recordings
Benefit for Pepper Adams, cancer treatments
Final gigs and last days
Marriage separation, alcoholism, car accident
Courtship and wedding
Pepper at a crossroads with Thad/Mel
Great recordings as a soloist, 1977-1984
Pepper as a beloved figure

Chapter Five: Civilization and Its Discontents


The Thad Jones-Pepper Adams Quintet
New York in the Mid-1960s
Pepper in Europe, 1969-1977
The Inception of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra


Adam Schroeder has completed six more Pepper Adams solo transcriptions. They have been posted at http://www.pepperadams.com/Transcriptions/index.html

I’ve been in touch recently with the baritone saxophonist Anders Svanoe. He’s done a great deal of pioneering work regarding the Detroit alto saxophonist Sonny Red. See http://sonnyredmusic.com/ Svanoe has invited me to speak about Pepper to his class at Beloit College this coming April. I’m looking forward to it in part because I came very close to attending Beloit many years ago. I’m curious what it looks and feels like there.

My lecture at Beloit is one of five scheduled for that tour. I’m also giving talks at Western Illinois University, Northern Iowa University, Winona State University, and the University of Wisconsin (Lacrosse). A few more lectures are likely to be added in the coming weeks. I’ll be sure to fill you in soon, in case any of you wish to attend. Additionally, there’s a chance that Svanoe might schedule a concert at an arts center in Madison, Wisconsin, in which he would play some Pepper’s tunes, then I’d give an abbreviated talk. More about that, should it come to pass.

I’m expecting to make the first three chapters of the book available as an e-book sometime before the summer of 2019. Furthermore, I’m hoping to get Chapter Five done this year and Chapter Six done in 2020. Lastly, there’s been tangible progress with the big band date I produced of Pepper Adams arrangements. I’ll let you know when I have more progress to report.

Pepper Tour Revised

© Gary Carner. Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.

Some of you may have seen my Facebook posting a few days ago of the historic Pepper Adams performance from the Grammy Awards television broadcast on February 24, 1982. Although I've had a copy of it in my collection since around 1988, it's remained very rare, only traded by collectors. Unfortunately, until this week's YouTube posting, very few had seen it. Finally, I got it digitized and here's the link: https://youtu.be/4PWTkf6MsZ0

Also, I posted this flyer. What a night of music!:

Below is an updated itinerary of my Pepper Adams tour in October. As of now, I'm doing five university lectures, plus functioning as an emcee for a concert in Rochester of Pepper Adams tunes. I'm still trying to fit in something on the 22nd or 23rd, but I'm running out of options:

M, Oct. 19: 12:30-1:45: Wayne NJ: Lecture at William Paterson University.

M, Oct. 19: 7-8:30: Poughkeepsie NY: Lecture at Vassar College.

T, Oct. 20: Travel.

W, Oct. 21: 3-4:30: Rochester NY: Lecture ("Pepper Adams in Rochester, 1935-1947"), Rochester  Institute of Technology, Liberal Arts Hall A-201. Book signing to follow.

W, Oct. 21, 8:30-10: Rochester NY: Book talk/signing, then concert of Pepper's music by the Mike Melito Trio (Doug Stone ts; unknown b; Mike Melito dm) at the Bop Shop.

Th, Oct. 22: Travel.

F, Oct. 23: Off.

Sat, Oct. 24: Off.

Sun, Oct. 25: Travel.

M, Oct. 26: 5:30-7: Boone NC: Lecture at Appalachian State University.

T, Oct. 27: 2-3:15: Charlotte NC: Lecture at University of North Carolina.

As I mentioned last week, due to exigencies (that I can not explain at this time), I will need to take a break from this blog for the foreseeable future. The same goes for my Facebook account. I hope to update readers before too long, but no worries about my work on the Pepper biography. That will definitely continue unabated. Please continue to consult pepperadams.com for updates and all things Pepper Adams. Lastly, don't forget that October 8 is Pepper's birthday.

On the Trail . . . in August

© Gary Carner. Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.

I'm closing up some lose ends with my Pepper Adams tape and CD collection. I'm doing this because I have stuff scattered about and my co-author, John Vana, is digitizing all my Pepper material for posterity--and so he can study it for our Pepper book. Here's a rather typical Saturday-in-the-life-of-Gary-Carner.

The first mystery tape I encountered this morning is a very well-recorded quintet date for trumpet/flugelhorn, baritone and rhythm section with the following tunes itemized on the tape box:

Side 1:

Mean What You Say

In a Sentimental Mood

Witchcraft

'Tis 

Side 2: 

On the Trail

I Can't Get Started

From the bass sound, I can assess it's a post-'60s audience tape or broadcast, due to the slightly nasal pickup sound with low action. The band is really excellent and Pepper is brilliant and harmonically daring. What is this?

The drums sound like plastic heads, further supporting the 1970s or 1980s timeline. It sounds like a broadcast because it's so well recorded. The flugelhorn solo on "I Can't Get Started" is masterful. I wonder if it's Tom Harrell or Denny Christianson? Well, fortunately, it's a broadcast and Pepper stepped in to announce the first two tracks on Side 2. Then, the announcer cited in Swedish that the brass player is Jan Allan! What is this? Off to the Chronology? No, not necessary because the announcer cited the band: Pepper and Allan with Steffan Abeleen, Palle Danielsson and Alex Riel. Oh, OK, it's Pepper at Restaurant Guldhattan in Stockholm on 6 November 1972. Pepper's "On The Trail" solo is breathtaking, and, in his usually understated and amusing style, Pepper's announcement after the applause is as follows: 

"Thank you very much. We assume that you recognize the first two songs. They were 'On the Trail,' from the Grand Canyon Suite of Ferde Grofe. We're not going to play the rest of the Grand Canyon Suite this evening, however (chuckles), and that was 'I Can't Get Started.'" 

I went on to listen to the entire broadcast. Nothing else from Pepper equates to the sheer brilliance of his "On the Trail" solo. It's simply one of his greatest performances from that period. I suspect he was very happy as a newly traveling solo artist in Europe. He only started three years prior--in mid December, 1969 in Copenhagen, for a gig at Montmartre. 

Another amusing Pepper quip from the Stockholm broadcast: After playing "'Tis," (Thad Jones' tune that Pepper customarily played as a theme to end his sets), Pepper says: "So you know in the future, that means 'intermission' (chuckles)."

My second mystery tape sounds to me like the Shorty Rogers Big Band from the late 1950s. There's plenty of flugelhorn features and solos for various members of the band. This is a live thing, but possibly not from the Bobby Troup TV show from California, because it doesn't sounds like a polite TV audience. Two bari solos in it were definitely not Pepper. "Mountain Greenery" was part of his book back then and they play that. Then again, with some of the small group things, it does feel like a TV show.

Now to a few CDs that have been knocking around. From Dave Schiff I received Pepper and Roland Hanna at the Wilmington Music School. Here's the entry:

New Entry

PEPPER ADAMS

740621

21 June 1974, audience recording, Wilmington Music School, Wilmington DE: Wayne Andre, Steve Koontz tb; Dave Schiff fl, ts; Pepper Adams bs; Roland Hanna p; Don Schiff b; possibly Gary Griswold or Newman Barker dm.

a Quiet Lady

b Civilization and Its Discontents

c Straight, No Chaser

d Royal Garden Blues

On -c and -d, Andre and Koontz only. Schiff on ts.

From Thomas Hustad, the Ruby Braff historian, I received the following. Pepper is dazzling!:

New Entry:

RUBY BRAFF

19 July 1972, audience recording, Half Note, New York: Ruby Braff cornet; Pepper Adams bs; Dill Jones p; George Mraz b; Dottie Dodgion dm.

a Blues in A-Flat

This recording was discussed in Michael Steinman's blog "Jazz Lives" (http://jazzlives.wordpress.com/author/jazzlives), published on 5 August 2014: I will close with my single Pepper Adams sighting. In 1972, several friends and I followed Ruby Braff to gigs.  Although Ruby was unpredictable and unreasonably given to rage, he was always pleasant to us and allowed us to tape-record him. On July 19 of that year, my friend Stu and I came to the Half Note to record Ruby with the Welsh pianist Dill Jones, bassist George Mraz (then working with Pepper in the Thad Jones–Mel Lewis ensemble, and Dottie Dodgion on drums. About two-thirds through the evening, where the music had been very sweet, with Ruby’s characteristic leaps through the repertoire of Louis, Duke and Billie, a tall man ascended the stand with a baritone saxophone, was greeted warmly by the players, and the quintet launched into an extended blues in A-flat. I remember Dottie Dodgion being particularly enthusiastic about the unnamed musician’s playing, who packed his horn and went off into the warm Greenwich Village night. Who was that unmasked man? The subject of Carner’s book, and, yes, the tape exists, although not in my possession."

Now, a real mystery, or so it seemed at the time. I acquired a CD that said "Pepper Adams in San Remo, 1981." Pepper wrote the opening tune on the CD, Conjuration, in 1979 but the second tune, Dobbin', was written in 1983. Already, the recording date on the CD is suspect. Fortunately, Pepper announced pianist Ricardo Zegna and bassist Dodo Goya. That pins it down some. But before a search, first the other tunes. Doctor Deep was written in 1982. No real help there. The drumming is very pronounced and aggressive in an American kind of brash way. I'm starting to suspect drummer Ronnie Burrage. And, sure enough, it's listed in my Joy Road thusly, just poorly marked on my CD:

PEPPER ADAMS

851015

c15 October 1985, RAI TV broadcast, Salon delle Feste, San Remo Jazz Festival, San Remo, Italy: Pepper Adams bs*; Ricardo Zegna p; Dodo Goya b; Ronnie Burrage dm.

a Conjuration*

b Dobbin'*

c unknown waltz

d unknown blues

e Doctor Deep*

One last thing I recorded in my Pepper book but didn't identify very well is a Thad-Mel thing from Scandinavia in August, 1977. All the tempos are faster than usual, particularly "Low Down." This was the first tour for Richard Perry and Dick Oatts (who plays tenor). Jerry Dodgion and Ed Xiques were still in the band in the alto chairs. Dodgion's chart on "Oregon Grinder" gets a great workout.

                                                                 (Jan Allan)

Thad, Etc.

© Gary Carner. Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.

Here's a really nice note I received this week, completely out of the blue:

Hi, my name is Dave Schiff. My father had a jazz workshop in Wilmington, Delaware that he put together in the late 1960s to the mid '70s. In the early years he had many of the members of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra come down and work with the students (including myself) for a week. Pepper Adams and I became pretty close friends during that time. I had the opportunity to study with him and hang out with him. I have some cassette tapes of some of the clinic concerts with Pepper Adams performing. They are some of my most cherished things. I am in the middle of reading your book and find myself hearing his voice as I am reading the quotes of his. I would be interested in sharing the tapes if you would be interested. Pepper was a great influence in my playing and a good friend. Thank you for your time and consideration, and, most of all, bringing attention to this wonderful musician and human being.
Dave Schiff

Of course, when someone like that reaches out for me, I follow up. I'll be speaking with Schiff tomorrow by phone. I've already learned that at least one tape exists of Pepper with Roland Hanna, Wayne Andre and a few student musicians. (See photo below.) Schiff is looking for other tapes. I also asked if he knew whether Pepper taught at his dad's Wilmington Music School in 1971, 1972 and 1973. So far, there's no record of it in Pepper's materials. Also, Schiff's father was responsible for producing Thad-Mel at The Playhouse in Wilmington, 1967. I'm trying to see if that was recorded.

Speaking of Thad Jones, this week I posted a large update to the Thaddeus chronology (1965-1977) at pepperadams.com. The thrust of my research was to identify those tunes in Thad-Mel's baritone book in which Pepper would have been asked to play either clarinet or bass clarinet parts. I was motivated by the recent YouTube video posting of Central Park North (1969). Pepper is seen playing clarinet in one part of the performance. 

Here's a link to the new section of the pepperadams.com chronology and the link to the video of Three and One from the same 1969 concert as Central Park North, with dazzling solos by Thad and Pepper:

http://www.pepperadams.com/Chronology/Thaddeus.pdf

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WaCfDeZJPIU

While working my way through YouTube today I discovered a few videos of the band that are new to me. First, is a performance of Thad-Mel in Nice, at the picturesque setting of Les Jardin des Arenes de Cimiez. Recorded by RF TV on 15 July 1977, what a magnificent television production of the band!; clearly the finest video quality of any film that exists of the band to date. Tunes: Evol Deklaw Ni, It Only Happens Every Time, 61st and Richard, and Ambiance.

The second video is this dazzling vocal chart by Thad Jones, Route 66: 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLxyax9Wgh_JwhNJR10yDsuCRrZitkm3VI&v=ECv8fQcA0Pw. 

Can you believe how harmonically adventurous it is? It was recorded in Denmark in very late July or early August, 1977, Pepper's last tour with the band.

While we're on the topic of vocal charts--often overlooked in Thad's oeuvre--check out this brilliant performance by Dee Dee Bridgewater and the band doing Bye Bye Blackbird from a TV brodcast from Tokyo on 26 February 1974:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLxyax9Wgh_JwhNJR10yDsuCRrZitkm3VI&v=R31s5We3JmQ

Also discovered today on YouTube are three performances by the band at Montreux on 5 July 1974:

Once Around: https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLxyax9Wgh_JwhNJR10yDsuCRrZitkm3VI&v=0Sgm7G8yzyE

I Love You: https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLxyax9Wgh_JwhNJR10yDsuCRrZitkm3VI&v=Ylt8g4dlfOk 

Blues in a Minute: https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLxyax9Wgh_JwhNJR10yDsuCRrZitkm3VI&v=QNL4FTPjyjA 

Sorry if they're not showing up as links. I'm still struggling with that. Please paste them into your browser and enjoy. They'll also be included in the next update of "Thaddeus."

                       Photo (c) Dave Schiff, 20 June 1974. Left to right: Roland Hanna p; Don

                     Schiff b; Wayne Andre tb; Dave Schiff ts; unknown dm; Pepper Adams bs.

Joy Road Updates

© Gary Carner. Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.

Here's new updates to Joy Road. In discographies, as many of you know, things are always changing! This update will post at pepperadams.com sometime this weekend.

I've been amassing corrections and additions since the August 2012 publication of Pepper Adams’ Joy Road. As you will see, there are some very exciting new Pepper Adams discoveries. The 2013 paperback edition gave me a chance to overhaul the Index. For reasons I explain below, it’s vastly superior to the index in the hardcover version. But those are static changes, fixed in the manuscript. Discographers know that their databases are instantly obsolete upon publication. New commercial recordings continue to get released or reissued. Audience recordings are continually discovered. Errors are unmasked and missing information slowly but surely gets supplanted by new data. That’s why discographies in book form are now a rarity. With the steady stream of updates that are needed to keep a discography current, the internet is the ideal medium. When Joy Road goes out of print, in fact, my entire book with updates will be posted right here. In the meantime, please send any corrections or additions to info@pepperadams.com.

Correction:

STAN KENTON - VOICES IN MODERN

570304, page 32

Personnel should reference 17 January 1957, not 17 January 1956.

Correction:

DAVE PELL - A PELL OF A TIME

570320, page 34

The two-line note about Walter Bruyninckx should be deleted.

Addition:

BOB KEENE - SOLO FOR SEVEN

570321, page 34

The tune Solo (from Andex LP: A-4001) should be added.

Correction:

AUTHOR'S NOTE, page 52

See 731216 should be See 731217.

Correction

BUD SHANK - THE JAMES DEAN STORY

570813

13 August 1957, Radio Recorders,Hollywood CA: Charlie Mariano, Herbie Steward as; Bill Holman, Richie Kamuca ts; Pepper Adams bs, bcl; Claude Williamson p; Monty Budwig b; Mel Lewis dm; Mike Pacheco bongos; FEATURED SOLOISTS: Chet Baker tp; Bud Shank as, fl.

a Lost Love

b People

c Rebel at Work

Regarding Bill Holman and Johnny Mandel’s participation, on July 29, 2104 researcher James Harrod emailed me this: "The [AFM] contracts just list the musicians. Holman might have retained the charts that he arranged. I believe that he has placed most of his archive with the LOC. He received arranger credit on the 14th only. Mandel is not listed as arranger on the 13th. He might have had a direct agreement with Dick Bock for his services. The back liner of P-2005 notes that Mandel arranged The Search, Jimmy's Theme, and Success; with Holman arranging the other selections. Mandel might have retained his charts as well." Harrod also told me that Chet Baker was listed on the LP as co-leader merely as a marketing strategy to boost sales. Also, Johnny Mandel likely functioned as a conductor at both sessions.

Correction

BUD SHANK - THE JAMES DEAN STORY

570814

14 August 1957, Radio Recorders, Hollywood CA: Same as 13 August, add Ray Linn, Don Fagerquist tp; Milt Bernhart tb; Mike Pacheco bongos; Chet Baker voc*.

a Jimmy's Theme

b Fairmount, Indiana

c Let Me Be Loved

d Let Me Be Loved*

e Hollywood

-b: Omit Pacheco.

-c is an instrumental version.

-d is a vocal arrangement, featuring Chet Baker voc.

See 570813 notes.

Correction

PEPPER ADAMS - CRITICS' CHOICE

570823

23 August 1957, Radio Recorders, Hollywood CA.

Pepper’s second date as a leader was done on one day, from 1-6pm. The LP cites the 22nd of August as the recording date but this is incorrect as per Jim Harrod’s American Federation of Musicians contract research in 2014.

Correction:

SOUL OF JAZZ PERCUSSION

600400

Spring 1960, Bell Sound Studios, New York: Donald Byrd tp; Pepper Adams bs; Bill Evans p; Paul Chambers b; Philly Joe Jones dm; Earl Zindars timpani, perc.

This was likely recorded between 9-18 April or in May-June.

Addition:

PEPPER ADAMS - MOTOR CITY SCENE

601115, page 107

All tracks on Bethlehem CD: BCP-6056.

Correction:

PEPPER ADAMS-DONALD BYRD - OUT OF THIS WORLD

610125

between 25 Jan- 5 Feb 1961, New York: Donald Byrd tp; Pepper Adams bs; Herbie Hancock p; Teddy Charles vib*; Laymon Jackson b; Jimmy Cobb dm.

Sometime between 25 January and 5 February 1961 the Donald Byrd-Pepper Adams Quintet record their date for Warwick. This was Pepper Adams’ eighth date as either leader or co-leader. New research reveals that, with the exception of a 13-20 December gig at Curro’s in Milwaukee (see 601213), the Quintet worked steadily in Chicago for nearly two months (from 22 November 1960 until 22 January 1961). Assuming a long travel day back to New York on 23 January and the opening of their week run at the Five Spot on the 24th, the band likely recorded no earlier than 25 January. As yet, no known information exists on band gigs for the period 1-5 February, prior to the group embarking on their two month tour of the Midwest and Eastern Canada.

New Entry:

DONALD BYRD-PEPPER ADAMS

610616

16 June 1961, TV broadcast, Cleveland: Donald Byrd tp; Pepper Adams bs; Herbie Hancock p; Cleveland Eaton b; Teddy Robinson dm.

The Quintet appeared on the program The One O'Clock Club while in town working at Algiers. The show was broadcast by WEWS (Channel 5), hosted by Dorothy Fuldheim. It isn't clear if either the audio or video still exists.

Addition:

DONALD BYRD-PEPPER ADAMS

610624, page 115

Also performed at Jorgie's was Out of This World (VGM unissued).

Correction:

LIONEL HAMPTON

611209

9 December 1961, Metropole Cafe, New York: Dave Gonsalves, Virgil Jones, Floyd, Richard Williams tp; Vince Prudente, Harleem Rasheed, Lester Robinson tb; Bobby Plater, Ed Pazant as; Andy McGhee, John Neely ts; Pepper Adams bs; Kenny Lowe p; Billy Mackel g; Lionel Hampton vib; Lawrence Burgan b; Wilbert Hogan dm.

a At the Metropole Glad-Hamp LP: GHLP-3050

b Encore (= Greasy Greens)

c After You've Gone Glad-Hamp LP: GHLP-1005

d They Say It's Wonderful (1)

e It's All Right with Me

f Take My Word

g McGhee

(1) Hampton and the rhythm section.

-c, -e, -g on Hindsight CD: HCD-242.

Correction:

JIMMY WITHERSPOON

630700

c. Summer 1963, CBC TV broadcast,Toronto: Dizzy Reece tp; John Gilmore ts; Pepper Adams bs; John Hicks p; Ali Jackson b; Charli Persip dm; Jimmy Witherspoon voc.

a Evenin'

b Ain't Nobody's Business

This program was entitled Sixty Minutes with Spoon, produced by Daryl Duke. Thirty minutes of it

was broadcast on 11 February 1964 on the program "Quest."

Addition

LIONEL HAMPTON

640723

23 July 1964, probably ORTF TV broadcast, Antibes Jazz Festival, Juan-les-Pins, France: Martin Banks, Benny Bailey tp; Bobby Plater as, fl; Ed Pazant ts, cl; Pepper Adams, Cecil Payne bs; Billy Mackel g; Lionel Hampton, vib, voc; Lawrence Burgan b; Floyd Williams dm.

a Hamp's Boogie Woogie

b unknown blues

c unknown blues

d Stardust

e Flying Home

f Our Love Is Here to Stay

g unknown blues

h unknown blues

i Air Mail Special

j Midnight Sun

k Air Mail Special

m The Man I Love

n Sophisticated Lady

See 640707, 640724, 640725 and 611209 notes. 

Correction:

AUTHOR'S NOTE, p. 145

The Thad Jones-Pepper Adams Quintet’s first known gig took place at the Clifton Tap Room in Clifton NJ on 26-27 March 1965.

Correction

JOE ZAWINUL - MONEY IN THE POCKET

660207

This was Pepper’s only recording that day, thus the change from 660207a. Adams was not at the Village Vanguard for the opening gig of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra. See Author’s Note directly below.

Author's Note

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS ORCHESTRA

660207b

Pepper Adams was not on this date. As per new research, it’s now confirmed that Marv Holladay is the baritone saxophonist. George Klavin was the engineer for the live recordings at the Village Vanguard and he still owns the tapes. Fortunately, he wrote the personnel on the tape boxes. CDs of this performance are held at the Thad Jones Archive at William Paterson University. The following are the tunes at the Archive, cross-referenced with those tunes released as a bootleg by Alan Grant on the CD "Opening Night."

a All My Yesterdays (unissued)

b All My Yesterdays (released by Grant)

c Back Bone (unissued)

d Big Dipper (unissued)

e Big Dipper (unissued)

f Mean What You Say (released by Grant)

g Mornin’ Reverend (released by Grant

h The Little Pixie (released by Grant)

i Willow Weep for Me (released by Grant)

According to saxophonist Jerry Dodgion, the tunes hadn’t yet evolved into what they eventually became. For example, The Little Pixie became a chase for the entire saxophone section. Here, though, only Jerome Richardson solos on the tune.

Mel Lewis told Michael Bourne in Jazz Journal International (Vol 42, No. 4, April 1989, p. 14) the following about Thad Jones’ big band arrangements and the early band book:

"Thad left Basie [in 1963]. We were thrown together in the Mulligan band. We’d been friends

for years. He’d just started writing for Gerry's band. Thad was experimenting. He was going to

bring things in for Gerry's band but he never got around to finishing anything. Thad was 

searching at that point. Basie commissioned Thad to write an album, 11 or 12 charts, and Thad

did them. Thad and I were still just hanging around with each other, still talking about a band of

our own. Basie rejected the arrangements. They were such a drastic change from what the Basie

band was all about. Thad called me and said, 'I’ve got some arrangements. Let’s have a 

rehearsal.’ We started our band with stuff written for Basie. Basie’s name was on the charts 

when we made our first rehearsal, but that became us. When we opened at the Vanguard a

month later, that first Monday night, we only had nine charts. We just hadn’t gotten around to

doing all of them. We played those nine charts and stretched them out. That’s where the whole

style with long solos and riffs happened. That was the band with Brookmeyer and Snooky Young.

We had all that experience in the band. Anything could happen."

Correction:

Pages 152, 203, 205, 253, 254, 263, 275, 287, 292, 305, 330, and 740312 

According to David Demsey, Curator of the Thad Jones Archive at William Paterson University, the correct title of Thad Jones’ tune Back Bone is most likely two words, not one. See 660318, 690902, 690908, 690909, 730814, 730815, 740313, 740712, 750915, 751111, 760113, 770727.

New Entry:

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

660321

21 Mar 1966, private recording, Village Vanguard: Thad Jones flh; Snooky Young, Jimmy Nottingham, Bill Berry, Jimmy Owens tp; Bob Brookmeyer vtb; Garnett Brown, Jack Rains tb; Cliff Heather btb; Jerome Richardson as, ss, cl fl; Jerry Dodgion ss, as, fl; Joe Farrell fl, ts, ss; Eddie Daniels ts, ss, cl; Pepper Adams bs, cl; Hank Jones p; Sam Herman g; Richard Davis b; Mel Lewis dm.

a Once Around BMG (NZ) CD: 74321-51939-2

b Don’t Ever Leave Me

c Lover Man

d A--That’s Freedom   unissued

e All My Yesterdays

f Back Bone

g Big Dipper

h The Little Pixie

i Low Down

j Mornin’ Reverend

k Willow Weep for Me

The following is excerpted from a 26 April 2014 post at my blog "The Master" 

(http://gc-pepperadamsblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/double-trouble-alan-grant-george-klabin.html):

Since the 2012 publication of Pepper Adams' Joy Road, the first of two books I'm doing on Pepper Adams, a controversy over what constitutes the first performance by the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra has remained. My information was based on Pepper's itinerary, interviews with musicians in the band and also what I could infer from the CD "Opening Night." At the very least I wanted to know if Pepper Adams or Marv Holladay was playing baritone, since both are listed on the cover as participating musicians. Thanks to new information from my recent interview with engineer George Klabin, plus the efforts of saxophonists Frank Basile and David Demsey, I'm able to report some changes to the historical record.

First a little background. In 2000, DJ and impresario Alan Grant released a CD called "Opening Night" that purported to be music from the incredibly important first appearance of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra at the Village Vanguard on 7 February 1966. But others, such as saxophonists Jerry Dodgion and Bill Kirchner, contested that what Grant suggests (and partly what I wrote in my book) about the gig is not entirely true. Dodgion was in the band from its inception and Kirchner had been researching a book about Thad Jones with fellow saxophonist Kenny Berger. Detroit journalist Mark Stryker, too, in his research for his forthcoming book on Detroit jazz, also takes issue with Grant and some of my assump-tions. Like Dodgion and Kirchner, he disputes that all the tunes on Grant's CD are from 7 February and says there are two separate dates. The reason for the discrepancy mostly stems from all of them having heard recordings of the band made at the Village Vanguard that exist at the Thad Jones Archive at William Paterson University. 

In Joy Road (pages 150-52) I discuss the situation as I saw it just prior to publication in 2012. At that time I owned the Alan Grant CD but hadn't known about the two CDs at the Archive. Moreover, based upon the excellent recording quality of Grant's CD, the fact that Grant had a show on WABC-FM that routinely broadcasted live performances in New York City clubs, and that Grant was also actively promoting at that time on his show Pepper, Thad and Mel, I felt that the music likely emanated from ABC Radio. It turns out, however, that a nineteen-year-old self-taught engineer, George Klabin – who at the time (1965-69) had an evening jazz radio show on WKCR – recorded Thad and Mel's performance at the Vanguard. 

I interviewed George Klabin on 23 April 2014 to find out more about the recording's pedigree and to once and for all try to solve the riddles that remain about this great music. Klabin now lives in Los Angeles and runs Resonance Records (resonancerecords.org). His company specializes in releasing historically important jazz recordings, many that Klabin recorded live in clubs and for which he still retains legal ownership. Klabin developed a reputation around New York in the mid-60s for recording jazz musicians well and affordably. He would lug his own equipment into nightclubs, record musicians, then play some of it on his radio show. Klabin promoted these recordings to his listeners as music they'd never hear anywhere else. One of the first things he recorded was Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden for George Avakian that became an important early Jarrett demo. Another is a Bill Evans date. See the label's web-site for a roster of recordings.

Alan Grant and George Klabin were DJ colleagues in New York City. One day in early 1966 Grant called Klabin. He told him there was a new all-star big band that was playing their first gig at the Village Vanguard. Grant needed a recording. Would Klabin do it? Sure. Klabin brought six mics and was given two cocktail tables near the pole where Pepper Adams sat (at the far stage-left side of the club) to set up his Crown two-track stereo 7.5 ips recorder. He mixed everything live in his headphones. After the gig, he gave Alan Grant a copy and that was it. I doubt Klabin played any of the music on his own radio show. Klabin did confess that he was "completely blown away" by the band. He knew right away that this was a band unlike any other. 

A few weeks later Grant asked Klabin to return to the Vanguard on 21 March to record the band a second time. For that gig Klabin used 10 mics. Klabin said the band sounded even better. More polished, for one thing. For both gigs Klabin ended up with several hours of music.

Fast forward 34 years. To make a fast buck Alan Grant decides to bootleg a bunch of tunes from these two nights. Although Klabin owns the rights, Grant never got permission from Klabin to release it, never credited Klabin as the engineer and never paid the musicians. Essentially, Grant did an end run and went to BMG/New Zealand to print 2,500 copies. Jason Blackhouse (from Auckland), not Klabin, is credited as the engineer, and liner note verbiage throughout only trumpets the 7 February recording date. As David Demsey, director of the Thad Jones Archive has pointed out, the implication is that Blackhouse was the engineer on hand at the Vanguard. Furthermore, misleading listeners into believing that all the material derives from the band's first gig was equally duplicitous.

When Klabin learned about the release he was furious. He hired a detective to find Grant, who was living in Florida. Klabin telephoned Grant and said bluntly, "What's going on here? How can you do this without giving anyone credit?" Grant replied contritely, "I know, it wasn't a good idea." Miffed, Klabin left it at that.

Grant's bootleg is long sold out but a copy exists at William Paterson. Two CDs worth of Klabin's original tapes, presumably given to Thad Jones by Alan Grant, have been transferred from reel-to-reel and are there as well. A third reel may be missing, says Klabin, but he believes he still might have even more material. Fortunately, personnel for each night is specified on Klabin's tape boxes. 

Thanks to the work of David Demsey, who meticulously compared all the recordings, here's what's on the two Klabin CDs versus Grant's bootleg (listed as parenthetical comments):

7 February 1966

CD #1:

1. All My Yesterdays (unissued)

2. All My Yesterdays (released by Grant)

3. Back Bone (unissued)

4. Big Dipper (unissued)

5. Big Dipper (unissued)

6. Mean What You Say (released by Grant)

7. Mornin' Reverend (released by Grant

8. The Little Pixie (unissued)

9. Willow Weep for Me (released by Grant)

21 March 1966

10. Once Around (released by Grant)

CD #2:

1. A--That's Freedom (unissued)

2. All My Yesterdays (unissued)

3. Back Bone (unissued)

4. Big Dipper (unissued)

5. Don't Ever Leave Me (released by Grant)

6. The Little Pixie (released by Grant)

7. Lover Man (released by Grant)

8. Low Down (unissued)

9. Mornin' Reverend (unissued)

10. Willow Weep for Me (unissued)

What else does Klabin have and did a third reel he recorded get lost? What's the derivation of three tunes from Grant's CD – Big Dipper, Polka Dots and Moonbeams, and Low Down – that Demsey asserts is neither on Grant's or Klabin's CDs? What's the complete personnel of each date? Klabin has promised to clear up the remaining mysteries. Fortunately, since our interview he's already had the time to look at his tape boxes from 7 February and 21 March to at least confirm that Marv Holladay, not Pepper Adams, was on the 7 February date. Conversely, Pepper appears on the 21 March date in place of Holladay. 

According to Jerry Dodgion, Klabin has wanted to produce these important recordings since Grant's release to correct the historical record and get the music out the right way. Hopefully Klabin will release his definitive version soon, in its original running order, especially with Thad's announcements, and maybe even with Alant Grant as emcee? For Klabin, these brilliant Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra performances remain the greatest recordings he's ever made.

Correction

JOE WILLIAMS AND THAD JONES - SOMETHING OLD, NEW AND BLUE

680423

23-27 April 1968, Los Angeles: possible personnel: Thad Jones flh; Snooky Young tp, flh; Garnett Brown, Jimmy Knepper or Benny Powell tb; Jerome  Richardson as; Eddie Daniels ts; Pepper Adams bs; Roland Hanna p, org; Kenny Burrell g; Larry Bunker vib; Richard Davis b; Mel Lewis dm; Joe Williams voc; string section.

Delete Hallelujah I Love Her So, Nobody Knows the Way I Feel This Morning, How Sweet It Is and Evil Man Blues.

New Entry:

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS                                                                          

680720

20 July 1968, audience recording or radio broadcast, Pit Inn, Tokyo: Thad Jones flh; Bob Brookmeyer vtb; Jimmy Knepper, Garnett Brown tb; Cliff Heather btb; Jerry Dodgion as, fl; Jerome Richardson as, cl, fl; Seldon Powell ts; Eddie Daniels ts; Pepper Adams bs; Roland Hanna p; Kunimitsu Inaba b; Mel Lewis dm.

a Lover Man

b Bachafillen

c unknown title

d Don't Git Sassy

e Back Bone

f   Don't Ever Leave Me

g St. Louis Blues

 -c is a solo piano feature.

According to bassist Richard Davis, in a 2014 email to the author, Davis left the gig early and Inaba took his place. Because the Pit Inn was a small room for a big band, it's conceivable that Thad Jones scaled the band down to twelve pieces and Davis left the club along with the entire trumpet section before the final set.

This is the only known recorded gig from the band's first "tour" of Japan. Elvin Jones' future wife, Keiko, had agreed to put together eleven days worth of gigs. There was a great deal of excitement because this was the band's first overseas trip. An itinerary of events was given in advance to members of the band. On the morning of 11 July the band, along with seven of the musicians' wives, waited at JFK Airport to board a plane but the promised tickets never arrived at the gate. Thad Jones and Mel Lewis were left with no alternative but to charge the tickets on their American Express cards, without which the orchestra might've dissolved. To make matters worse, despite the itinerary, only one gig was arranged for the band in advance. The orchestra was in limbo each day until gigs could be acquired. The photographer K. Abe lent his life savings to pay for airplane tickets to get the group back to New York. After Mel Lewis returned, he paid Abe back by leveraging his residence with a second mortgage.

According to Jerry Dodgion, Jerome Richardson made the trip and the trumpet section on the tour was Snooky Young, Jimmy Nottingham, Danny Moore and Richard Williams. Richard Davis remembered the following musicians: Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Richard Williams, Garnett Brown, Bob Brookmeyer, Cliff Heather, Eddie Daniels, Pepper Adams and Roland Hanna.

Correction:

DUKE PEARSON - NOW HEAR THIS

681203

Pearson on p and e-p.

Randy Brecker and Marvin Stamm tp and flh.

Correct title is I'm Tired Cryin' Over You. Pearson on e-p here only.

New Entry:

DUKE PEARSON

690427

27 April 1969, Famous Ballroom, Baltimore: Burt Collins, Joe Shepley, Jim Bossy Donald Byrd tp, flh; Julian Priester, Joe Forst, Eddie Bert tb; Kenny Rupp btb; Jerry Dodgion, Al Gibbons as, fl; Frank Foster, Lew Tabackin ts; Pepper Adams bs; Duke Pearson p; Bob Cranshaw b; Mickey Roker dm.

a Hi-Fly Uptown CD: UPCD-2772

b New Girl

c Eldorado

d In the Still of the Night

e Tones for Joan's Bones

f Straight Up and Down

g Ready When You Are C.B

h Night Song

Recorded by the Left Bank Jazz Society. See 671215.

Correction

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

690909

According to historian Bert Vuijsje, the broadcast also featured the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band and Boy Edgar's Big Band, not the Kurt Edelhagen Orchestra. Video of the broadcast does still exist.

Addition:

RICHARD DAVIS

691209

Reissue on Polydor (J) CD: POCJ-2164.

Correction:

DAVID AMRAM - NO MORE WALLS

710701

George Mgrdichian, not Mrgdichian, is the proper spelling.

Correction:

ELVIN JONES, page 239

See 720713 should be deleted.  Although that 13 July 1972 session produced three other tracks (Soultrane, Gee Gee, and One’s Native Place), Pepper Adams is not on them, therefore the session isn’t listed in the text.

Correction:

RICHARD ROUNDTREE

720216

16 February 1972, New York: Overdubs: Thad Jones tp, flh; Joe Dupars tp; Garnett Brown tb; Jerry Dodgion as; Sonny Fortune, Billy Harper, Andy Gadsden ts; Pepper Adams bs; Joe Farrell bcl.

a Gets Hard Sometimes MGM LP: SE-4836

b Peace in the Morning

c I'm Here

d Street Brother

e Man from Shaft

f Tree of Life

g Lovin'

h Sagitarian Lady

i The Letter

All tracks on MGM (UK) LP: 2315-121.

New Entry:

RUBY BRAFF

19 July 1972, audience recording, Half Note, New York: Ruby Braff cornet; Pepper Adams bs; Dill Jones p; George Mraz b; Dottie Dodgion dm.

a unknown blues

This recording was discussed in Michael Steinman's blog "Jazz Lives" (http://jazzlives.wordpress.com/author/jazzlives), published on 5 August 2014:

I will close with my single Pepper Adams sighting. In 1972, several friends and I followed Ruby Braff to gigs.  Although Ruby was unpredictable and unreasonably given to rage, he was always pleasant to us and allowed us to tape-record him. On July 19 of that year, my friend Stu and I came to the Half Note to record Ruby with the Welsh pianist Dill Jones, bassist George Mraz (then working with Pepper in the Thad Jones – Mel Lewis ensemble, and Dottie Dodgion on drums.  About two-thirds through the evening, where the music had been very sweet, with Ruby’s characteristic leaps through the repertoire of Louis, Duke and Billie, a tall man ascended the stand with a baritone saxophone, was greeted warmly by the players, and the quintet launched into an extended blues in A-flat. I remember Dottie Dodgion being particularly enthusiastic about the unnamed musician’s playing, who packed his horn and went off into the warm Greenwich Village night. Who was that unmasked man? The subject of Carner’s book, and yes, the tape exists, although not in my possession.

Correction 

PEPPER ADAMS, page 241

The correct recording date of the Oslo gig was 29 October 1972 and the rhythm section was Christian Reim p; Sture Janson b; Ole Jacob Hanson dm.

New Entry:

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

17 Sept 1973, audience recording, Blighty's, Farnworth, England: Thad Jones cornet; Jon Faddis, Steve Furtado, Jim Bossy, Cecil Bridgewater tp; Jimmy Knepper, Billy Campbell, Steve Turre tb; Cliff Heather btb; Jerry Dodgion ss, as, fl; Ed Xiques ss, as, fl, cl; Billy Harper ts, ss, cl; Rob Bridgewater ts, cl; Pepper Adams bs; Roland Hanna p; George Mraz b; Mel Lewis dm; Dee Dee Bridgewater voc.*

a Us

b 61st and Richard

c Suite for Pops:

Meetin’ Place

Only for Now

The Farewell

d The Second Race

e Fingers

f Bye Bye Blackbird*

g How Insensitive*

Correction 

PEPPER ADAMS - EPHEMERA

730910

10 September 1973, EMI Studios, London: Pepper Adams bs; Roland Hanna p; George Mraz b; Mel Lewis dm.

This account of the date was provided to the author by Tony Williams, owner of Spotlite Records, on 13 November 2014:

The Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Band were working the Ronnie Scott Club at 47 Frith Street in Soho (Central London). As I was a good friend of baritonist Cecil Payne, when I went to hear the band I intro- duced myself to Pepper and he asked me if I would record him with Roland, George and Mel. I had only started Spotlite and was beginning to record American musicians – for example Joe Albany, Cecil, Duke Jordan, Red Rodney, Al Haig, Ben Webster, Jon Eardley, Dexter Gordon and Lockjaw Davis. I do recall, when Lockjaw approached me about doing an album I said I couldn’t afford him. He smiled and told me not to worry about that and things could be amicably figured out!

I agreed to fix a recording date with Pepper and got things set up at EMI Studios on Sunday, September 9th. Pepper’s Quartet made some recordings but Pepper was not satisfied with the results so the Quartet was recorded again the following day, September 10th, 1973. Pepper was well pleased with everything that was recorded that day which, apart from a few false starts, was done all in single takes. Pepper did ask me not to keep anything from the previous day which, out of respect to him, I did not. . . No photographs were taken but Pepper did get some photos to me of himself that were taken by Jill Freedman. He and I selected a couple to use on the LP sleeve. The LP was issued in 1974 and I got copies to Pepper to give to the other guys in the Quartet.

New Entry:

SADAO WATANABE

740311

c. 11 March 1974, FM-Tokyo radio broadcast, Tokyo: Sadao Watanabe as; Pepper Adams bs; Roland Hanna p; Eizo Honda b; Fumio Watanabe dm.

a Wistful Moment

b When Lights Are Low

c Ride On

d Ephemera

e Oleo

Correction/Addition:

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

740312

12 Mar 1974, Yubin-Chokin Hall, Tokyo: Thad Jones cornet, flh; Jon Faddis, Steve Furtado, Jim Bossy, Cecil Bridgewater tp; Jimmy Knepper, Billy Campbell, Quentin Jackson tb; Cliff Heather btb; Jerry Dodgion ss, as, fl; Ed Xiques ss, as, fl, cl; Billy Harper ts, fl; Rob Bridgewater ts, cl; Pepper Adams bs; Roland Hanna p; George Mraz b; Mel Lewis dm.

a Mean What You Say Nippon-Columbia (J) LP: YX-7557

b Don't Ever Leave Me Nippon-Columbia unissued

c The Little Pixie Nippon-Columbia (J) LP: YX-7557

d Once Around Nippon-Columbia unissued

e A - That's Freedom

f Willow Tree

g Back Bone

h Don't Git Sassy

-d is likely a spliced version of this take and -a from 13 March 1974.

Takawa Isizuka should be Takao Ishizuka.

Addition

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS ORCHESTRA

740312

12 or 13 March 1974, Yubin-Chokin Hall or Toshi Center Hall, Tokyo: Add Dee Dee Bridgewater voc.

a Don't Ever Leave Me

b A-That's Freedom

c The Little Pixie

d Bye Bye Blackbird

e Get Out of My Life

f unknown title

g Fingers

h The Little Pixie

Dee Dee Bridgewater on -c and -d.

According to information posted at rhythmhouse.co.jp, these are alternate tracks that were recorded by Nippon-Columbia. The site doesn't specify what tunes were performed on either night.

Correction/Addition:

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

740313

13 Mar 1974, Toshi Center Hall, Tokyo: Same as 12 March 1974, add possibly Dee Dee Bridgewater voc.*

a Once Around Nippon-Columbia (J) LP: YX-7557

b Kids Are Pretty People Nippon-Columbia unissued

c Say It Softly

d 61st and Richard

e A Child Is Born

f Back Bone Nippon-Columbia (J) LP: YX-7557

g Bachafillen Nippon-Columbia unissued

h I Love You*

i The Farewell

j Fingers

k The Intimacy of the Blues

-a is likely a spliced version of this take and -d is from 12 March 1974.

-h might be a feature for Dee Dee Bridgewater. The band also performed it as an instrumental.

Correction:

THAD JONES

740728

Walter Norris, not Roland Hanna, is the pianist on this date. Roland Hanna's last international tour with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra band was the band's trip to Japan in February-March 1974. Hanna's last recording with the band was in New York on 8-10 May 1974. By 27 June 1974 (the beginning of the band's 1974 European summer tour) Walter Norris had permanently replaced Hanna, ending Hanna's eight year tenure with the band. Hanna was the longest serving pianist in the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra's history.

Addition

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS ORCHESTRA

751026

26 October 1975, FM-Tokyo radio broadcast, Tokyo: Add Juanita Fleming voc*.

a Once Around

b Thank You

c Mean What You Say

d A Child Is Born

e Bird of Beauty*

f Fingers

Addition:

FRANK FOSTER - GIANT STEPS

751113 

Foster also plays ss.

-a and -b on Denon (J) LP: YC-7567-AX.

Correction/Addition:

FRANK FOSTER - GIANT STEPS

751117a 

See 751113 for personnel.

-a and -b on Nippon-Columbia-Denon (J) LP YX-7576 and Denon (J) LP: YC-7567-AX.

New Entry:

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

751215

15 December 1975, audience recording, Village Vanguard, New York: Thad Jones flh; Al Porcino, Waymon Reed, Sinclair Acey, Cecil Bridgewater tp; Billy Campbell, Janice Robinson, John Mosca tb; Earl McIntyre btb; Jerry Dodgion, Ed Xiques ss, as, fl; Frank Foster, Gregory Herbert ts, cl; Pepper Adams bs; Onaje Allan Gumbs p; George Mraz or Steve Gilmore b; Mel Lewis dm.

a Big Dipper

b Kids Are Pretty People

c Bachafillen

d Samba con Getchu

e Giant Steps

f Thank You

g A Child Is Born

Correction:

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

751217a, page 303

Love and Understanding should be Love and Harmony.

Deletion:

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

760113

Ed Xiques took Pepper's place on this three-week winter tour that was intended mostly to open the new Domicile in Munich. It's likely that Adams declined going on the trip because the tour ended two weeks before his wedding on 14 February.

Deletion:

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

760125

On this WDR radio broadcast from Cologne, Ed Xiques subs on baritone sax for Pepper and takes two baritone solos on tunes that are customary Adams features. It's possible that Adams didn't make this somewhat brief three-week trip to Europe to open up the new Domicile because the tour ended two weeks before his wedding on 14 February and he was needed to help with wedding arrangements.

Correction:

PEPPER ADAMS

770222

22 February 1977, audience recording, Restaurant La Redoute, s'Gravenwezel, Belgium: Pepper Adams bs; Tony Bauwens p; Roger Vanhaverbeke b; Freddy Rottier dm; GUESTS: Eddy House as*; Johnny Kay p+.

a Pepper Adams

b A Child Is Born

c What Is This Thing Called Love

d On the Sunny Side of the Street*+

e Misty*+

f Scrapple from the Apple*+

-a is the first public performance of Tony Bauwen's dedication to Adams. Although it was untitled at the time of its premiere and tentatively named "P/A. . . Pepper Adams," by 1984 it was retitled "Pepper Adams" for the big band arrangement of the tune that was recorded by the BRT Jazz Orchestra.

Correction:

PEPPER ADAMS

770228

28 February 1977, BRT radio broadcast, Witte Hoed at the Royal Anderlecht Sporting Club Bar, Anderlecht, Belgium: Pepper Adams bs; Tony Bauwens p; Roger Vanhaverbeke b; Freddy Rottier dm.

a Mean What You Say

b A Child Is Born

c Ephemera

d Pepper Adams

Regarding -d, see 770222 above.

Correction:

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

770502

c. 2 May 1977, audience recording, West Virginia University, Morgantown WV.

Correction:

THAD JONES

7700503

c. 3 May 1977, audience recording, Kilcawley Center at Youngstown State University, Youngstown OH.

Addition

JOHN SPIDER MARTIN - ABSOLUTELY

770600

According to Dave Loeb, pianist Bill Dobbins wasn't available for the date so Loeb subbed for him. At the recording session, after Martin and Adams had discussed whether a certain take was acceptable, they learned from the engineer that the take had been erased. Adams said that this was the most unprofessional thing he had ever seen in his thirty years of recording.

The day after the recording, most of the group worked a gig in Rochester. After the gig, Pepper stayed at Loeb's house rather than at a seedy hotel in downtown Rochester. Loeb and Adams stayed up all night listening to records. Except for Bud Powell, Pepper refused to listen to any jazz and would only listen to classical music. Asked whether Ellington might've been another exception, Loeb said he didn't have any Ellington in his collection at the time.

Correction

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

770625

This Carnegie Hall concert, part of the Newport Jazz Festival, took place at midnight on Saturday. It was a salute to the Jones Brothers (all three of whom performed two tunes with the addition of Rufus Reid) and Dizzy Gillespie. The final two numbers featured Gillespie with Thad-Mel and Elvin Jones replaced Mel Lewis. Because Elvin had sat in twice before with Thad-Mel and one occasion broke one of Mel's calf drum heads, it's likely that Elvin's drums were brought in to replace Mel Lewis’.

Correction:

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

770730

30 July 1977, private videotape, Copenhagen: Same as 9 July 1977, omit Rully:

a Once Around

b The Little Pixie

c My Centennial(1)

(1)Thad Jones and some bandmembers play various percussion instruments.

The band performed a free concert in a public square, probably near the Stroget. In the film, Dexter Gordon walks across the screen. Gordon had a gig that night at the Montmartre Jazzhus.

Correction:

THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS

770800B

29-31 July, 1-6 August, or 11 August 1977, DR TV broadcast, unknown outdoor square, Copenhagen: Thad Jones flh; Earl Gardner, Larry Moses, Jeff Davis, Frank Gordon tp; Billy Campbell, John Mosca, Clifford Adams tb; Earl McIntyre btb; Jerry Dodgion, Ed Xiques ss, as, cl, fl; Richard Perry, Dick Oatts ts, cl, fl; Pepper Adams bs; Harold Danko p; Rufus Reid b; Mel Lewis dm, Aura Rully voc.*

a Fingers

b Route 66*

c My Centennial (1)

(1) Thad Jones and some bandmembers play various percussion instruments.

Dexter Gordon is in the audience.  This might be a public square near the Stroget.

Addition:

PEPPER ADAMS-KAI WINDING

780804

See note on 760714 regarding the HNITA Jazz Club.

Addition

VLADIMIR COSMA

771019

19 October 1977, film soundtrack, Paris.

This date has been reissued on Pomme (F) CD: 950-222. It includes an alternate take of Jalousie-Blues but does not include -f (All My Evening Birds). -f was previously issued on Larghetto (F) CD: 0015163 and has been reissued on Larghetto (F) CD: 004- 3760002133478-17CD.

Correction

HELEN MERRILL - CHASIN' THE BIRD/GERSHWIN

790306

6 Mar 1979, RCA Studios, New York: Pepper Adams bs; Dick Katz p; Rufus Reid b; Mel Lewis dm; Helen Merrill voc.

a     It Ain't Necessarily So (1)       Inner City LP: IC-1080

b     Summertime       

c     I Can't Be Bothered Now (2)

d     Someone to Watch Over Me    

e     My One and Only         Trio (J) LP: PAP-9160

f But Not For Me (3) Inner City unissued

See 790309.

(1) Reid, Lewis, Merrill only.

(2) Katz and Merrill duet.

(3) Pepper, Katz and Merrill only.           

Raymond Ross photographed this session and no photos are taken of Puma in the studio with the band on 6 March. Since Puma was added on only three of nine tracks, it's likely he attended only the 9 March session. See 790309. 

Correction

HELEN MERRILL - CHASIN' THE BIRD/GERSHWIN

790309

9 Mar 1979, RCA Studios, New York: Pepper Adams bs; Dick Katz p; Joe Puma g; Rufus Reid b; Mel Lewis dm; Helen Merrill voc.

a     Embraceable You/Quasimodo     Inner City LP: IC-1080

b     I Got Rhythm/Chasin' the Bird        

f I Love You, Porgy

Raymond Ross photographed this session and the first Merrill session of 790306. Ross sent me contact sheets of his work and each strip of photographs are dated. In all, 126 photos were taken. Puma only appears in photos taken on 9 March. Considering this, and the fact that Puma was added on only three of nine tracks, it's unlikely he attended the 6 March session. See 790306. 

New entry

PER HUSBY

790325

25 Mar 1979, audience recording, Kristiansund, Norway: Pepper Adams bs; Per Husby p; Bjorn Alterhaug, Espen Rud dm.

a     Just Friends       

b     Quiet Lady       

c     Eiderdown (1)

d     Embraceable You    

e     Three and One        

f 'Tis           

(1) Rhythm section only.

Sponsored by the Kristiansund Jazz Society.

Correction:

PEPPER ADAMS

790907

7 September 1979, audience recording, Jazz Forum, New York: Pepper Adams bs; Bob Neloms p; Wayne Dockery b; John Yarling dm.

a It Could Happen to You

b In Love with Night

c Blue Champagne

d 'Tis

e Claudette's Way

f Pent-Up House

g I Carry Your Heart

Addition:

PEPPER ADAMS - THE MASTER

800311

11 March 1980, Downtown Sound, New York City.

Correction:

PEPPER ADAMS

801017

The guest on this date is Marv Holladay.

Addition:

PEPPER ADAMS-AL JARREAU

820224

On 24 September 2012 historian Dan Morgenstern discussed this television broadcast at a press party held at New York's Jazz Gallery. The event was held to celebrate the publication of Pepper Adams' Joy Road and kick off the first week-long celebration of Adams' music ever organized in New York. According to Morgenstern,

I had the pleasure of getting to know Pepper a little better, other than having admired him as a player and seeing him many times. We were together for a while in the Recording Academy, and he was one of the few jazz musicians who became active in the Academy. The upshot of that was one of the finest moments in the history of the Grammy television show, which was when somehow we managed to get Pepper on the show and, not only that, he was the climactic attraction at the end. He played "Shining Hour" and it was marvelous! It will never happen again on the Grammys that jazz has such a prominent part of it.

New entry

PEPPER ADAMS

830000

c1983, audience recording, Petit Opportun, Paris: Pepper Adams bs; Georges Arvanitas p; Jackie Samson b; Charles Saudrais dm.

a Pent-Up House

Correction: 

DANNY D'IMPERIO

830930a

30 September 1983, audience recording, Eddie Condon's, New York: John Marshall tp*;

Pat Rebillot p; Reggie Johnson b; Danny D'Imperio dm; GUEST SOLOIST: Pepper Adams bs.

a Have You Met Miss Jones

b Scrapple from the Apple

c Body and Soul

d My Ideal*

e Hellure

f Star Eyes*

g Minority*

h Lover Come Back to Me*

i Just You, Just Me

j Blues for Philly Joe/Billie's Bounce*

The band played two sets, each concluding with a blues (-e and -j). This was the club's first late Friday afternoon "Twilight Jazz" engagement. It was slotted in to precede Condon's customary 8:30 traditional jazz band set.

Correction 

PEPPER ADAMS, page 448

The Gershwin medley is comprised of only two tunes: My Man's Gone Now and I Loves You, Porgy.

Addition: 

DENNY CHRISTIANSON

841023a

For this CBC Studio date, Christianson hired a few subs to replace missing members of his big band. Apart from drummer Guy Nadon replacing Cisco Normand, these subs remain unknown. Delete Paul Picard perc.  Otherwise, personnel (see 860224 and 860225) is mostly correct.

Correction: 

PEPPER ADAMS, page 456

The correct name of the album is Exhilaration.

Correction 

PEPPER ADAMS, page 477

-e and -f: Gary Smulyan on both tracks.

-g is more properly called The Theme and Adams doesn't solo on it.

Correction: 

PEPPER ADAMS

851029

29 October 1985, audience recording, Pellerina Bar, Turin, Italy: Pepper Adams bs; Ricardo Zegna p; Dodo Goya b; Paolo Pellegatti dm.

a Falling in Love with Love

b All the Things You Are

c There Is No Greater Love (1)

d I Can't Get Started

e 'Tis

f Bye Bye Blackbird

g Bossallegro

h Just Friends

i 'Tis

j Old Folks (1)

(1) Rhythm section only.

Correction:

ORANGE COUNTY COLLEGE BIG BAND

860320

Song for Pepper was written by saxophonist Brian Williams, not Bruce Johnstone.

New entry

PEPPER ADAMS

860321

21 March 1986, audience recording, Orange Coast College, OCC Jazz Festival, Costa Mesa CA: Pepper Adams bs; other musicians.

According to collector Andy Katell, this was a clinic that Adams did for students attending the Festival. Katell's brother, Gabe, attended the clinic then took Pepper out to lunch in nearby Garden Grove.

Correction:

PEPPER ADAMS

860323a

23 March 1986, private videotape, Orange Coast College, OCC Jazz Festival, Costa Mesa CA: Pepper Adams, Nick Brignola bs; Claude Williamson p; Art Davis b; Carl Burnett dm.

a All the Things You Are

b Isn't It Romantic

c After You've Gone

d unknown ballad (1)

(1) Adams and rhythm section.

Correction: 

PEPPER ADAMS, page 511

The August, 1982 recording date that is cited is in conflict with the session's 790716 alphanumeric code. Although the drummer believes the date took place in August, 1982, Pepper's chronology for that time makes it impossible. The original 16 July 1979 date is more likely because that's when Pepper first wrote "Binary," that they recorded at that session.

Correction:

INDEX, pages 521-552

Hundreds of changes – mostly incorrect page references – were made to the index for the paperback edition. (These are the only updates that were made to the paperback.) Due to the malfunction of my printer very late in the camera-ready-copy process, it was necessary to use a new printer after much of the manuscript was already printed. This changed the pagination of the original manuscript that had already been delivered to the indexer.