Pepper Adams
Critics' Choice
EMI

The baritone sax has only a handful of major influences. After Harry Carney, who defies categories, Serge Chaloff gave the horn it's bebop sound, Gerry Mulligan, it's cool and light West Coast feel, Pepper Adams supplied the anchor leg as the Hard Bop pioneer. This 57 recording , with an all star rhythm section delivers all the goods for those fans of mainstream jazz.

The usually cumbersome bari is putty in Adams' hands. He can make that monster glide all ove the map, as on the strutting "High Step", and can breakaway like a thoroughbred on the quicksilver "Zec". The deep sonorous voice is able to even provide moments of romance as on the lovely "Alone Together." On Thad Jones' "5021", Lewis, Rowles and Watkins provide the perfect sensitive background for Adams' lyrical and velvety horn. In a lesser musician, this could have been Vaudevillian, instead it is pensive.

It's staggering to realize how easily these recordings were made almost 50 years ago. Why does it take so much effort now?


- George W. Harris