Sunday, June 24, 2012

Lyrics to Pepper Adams Ballads

© Gary Carner. Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.



Here are four lyrics, written by the esteemed poet Barry Wallenstein, that he wrote for Pepper's Julian, Urban Dreams, Lovers of Their Time, and Civilization and Its Discontents.  These and three others will be released in September on the Motema Music CD Alexis Cole Sings Pepper Adams, featuring Pat LaBarbera and Eric Alexander, with arrangements by Jeremy Kahn.



Urban Dreams

Look up above to the giants looming high,  
look up to crystal gods of steel.
They show the signs of our lusting, 
our dreaming and our love, 
with buildings breeding crowds above.

Now casting down shade for our glide in summertime, 
for comforts so slow in the heat.
For as we slide in the summertime, our arms intertwined, 
we cool down in the city's shade.

Fast streets, bright corners, sharp edged and wild, 
take me, oh, take me far. 
From the icy cityscape, we escape 
to the gentle warmth of the Lenox Lounge. 

Look up above to the giants looming large, 
look up to crystal gods of glass.
For as we slide into summertime, arms intertwined, 
promenading in this urban dream.


Lovers of Their Time

Lovers of their time clearly wanting more,
as in a taste beyond the tonic,
the spinning sands along the shore,
the far-off shore.

In movement, red-faced lovers waltz.
Spellbound to their cores gathering bliss, a magic kiss,
gathering bliss, a magic kiss.

Lovers of their time: tremble, smile and weep once more.
Holding off sleep, they hold the view.
They will not change, they dare not move.

Having the time, the blessing.
The rich gift of watching time comes to their hearts, 
settles within the chamber's mind.


Julian

Within the beat he drove his sound 
from the cannon out to the stars.
He never knew fangs of fame.
For they played Mercy Mercy under his spell;
they played it well.

Within his heart he struck a match, 
lit the wick, preserving the flame,
and Cannonball became his name.  
Never was the end in sight.  It never came; 
he flew so high he never died.

And the music is now, now burnished bright.  
Note follows note to be reborn.  
The sounds in time do a free fall
into the folds, the folds of time.

Oh, shine on gold and silver horns, 
stay true beyond all remorse.  
Your inner breath beats so true.
Now untamed to the lonely soul, 
too wild to lose, or to live without.


Civilization and Its Discontents

The world is old, the condition too new
to dream away from the weathering kiss
which it warns, and does not savor fear 
of what the wind can or can not do.

The world is old, the condition so new.
We turn away from a brother's sweet kiss
that was fine and did not touch on fear 
of what war does or will never do.

The winds are strong, so very dark around our lives,
into our lives. The vivid past, the loving thriving past,
drops from memory and all else.

The world is old, the condition too new
to dream away from the weathering kiss
which comes close, showing us what is,
what fell away, and what will stay.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Complete Works of Pepper Adams

© Gary Carner. Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.



The following tunes will be released on a physical CD and as a digital sampler by Motema Records in August.
These tunes, intended for radio play, are taken from the Complete Works of Pepper Adams, Volumes 1-5, also
being released in August.  Leaders of these dates are Jeremy Kahn, Kevin Bales, Frank Basile, and Alexis
Cole.
  
Track Listing:

1.   Enchilada Baby      KAHN 4          Excerent Music   4:28
2.   Doctor Deep           KAHN 3          Excerent Music   3:59            
3.   Julian                     KAHN 4          D'Accord Music   4:36
4.   Claudette's Way      BALES           Excerent Music   5:15
5.    Binary                    BASILE          Excerent Music   5:21      
6.    Muezzin’                KAHN 3          Thank Music       4:47
7.    In Love with Night   COLE              Excerent Music   7:49
8     Ephemera              KAHN 3          D'Accord Music   6:30
9.    Bossallegro            BALES           Excerent Music   6:30    
10.  Joy Road                BASILE          Excerent Music    6:31
11.  I Carry Your Heart    COLE            Excerent Music    3:34

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Pepper Big Band Charts

© Gary Carner. Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.



British arranger Tony Faulkner is writing four big band charts of Pepper Adams tunes: Enchilada Baby, Mary's Blues, Doctor Deep, and A Winters Tale.  Eight other charts (Ephemera, Bossa Nouveau, Reflectory, Rue Serpente, Apothegm, Patrice, Civilization and Its Discontents, and In Love With Night) will be done in advance of my Pepper Adams book tour, starting in August. Vocal arrangements of Ephemera and Civ will also be done.  Contact me if you wish to play this music.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Pepper Adams Symposium in Worcester

© Gary Carner. Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.



The Director of Jazz Studies at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Rich Falco, has approved a symposium examining the life, music, and influence of Pepper Adams on Saturday, September 22.  Presenters will be author Gary Carner and saxophonist Gary Smulyan, after which both will be interviewed by WPI professors Falco and Eunmi Shim.  This event will be the first half of the day-long Adams festivities.  That evening the WPI Big Band will play newly written charts by Frank Griffith, Osian Roberts, and Tony Faulkner of Pepper Adams compositions, including two vocal arrangements that will be given their world premiere.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Soka University Program, 19 October 2012

© Gary Carner. Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.



DALE FIELDER TRIBUTE QUINTET
“The Music of Donald Byrd and Pepper Adams”
Soka Performing Art Center, Alisa Viejo, CA October 19, 2012

Dale Fielder-baritone sax / Nolan Shaheed-trumpet /
Jane Getz-piano / Trevor Ware-bass / Don Littleton-drums

Introduction & Remarks by Gary Carner

Part I: The Music of Pepper Adams
1. Dylan’s Delight
2. Patrice (Quartet.)
3. Wives And Lover’s
4. Apothegm (Quartet.)
5. Libeccio
6. Claudette’s Way
7. Ephemera (Quartet.)
8. Excerent

Part II: The Music of the Donald Byrd/Pepper Adams Quintet 1958-1961
1.  Out of This World
2. Jeannine
3. Here Am I
4. Each Time I Think of You
5. Birdhouse
6. Jorgie’s
7. Mr. Lucky

Friday, April 13, 2012

Dale Fielder to Play Soka Performing Arts Center

© Gary Carner. Copyright Protected. All rights reserved.



As part of Pepper Adams Week in Los Angeles, Dale Fielder's Quintet has been invited to perform the compositions of Pepper Adams at the prestigious Soka University's Performing Arts Center in Aliso Viejo on Friday night, October 19, 2012.  This 1,000 seat, LEED certified facility is known and admired for its superb acoustics and in-the-round setting.  During a handful of performances that week at differing venues, Fielder will be the first musician to ever play the entire cycle of all 43 Adams compositions.