Art Pepper - Blues for Blanche (vinyl record "Artworks")

From the album “Artworks“ featuring: Art Pepper - saxophone, clarinet George Cables - piano Charlie Haden - bass Billy Higgins - drums Recorded May 25-26, 1974, Burbank, California Art Pepper, born in Gardena, California on September 1, 1925 and raised in nearby San Pedro, began playing clarinet at age 9 and, by 15, was performing in Lee Young’s band at the Club Alabam on Central Avenue, the home of jazz in prewar Los Angeles. He joined Stan Kenton’s band, touring the U.S. and gaining fame, but was drafted in 1943 serving as an MP in London and performing with some British jazz bands. He returned to the States and to Kenton, touring and recording. In 1952 he placed second only to Charlie Parker in the Down Beat jazz poll. Probably his most famous recording from that period is his stunning performance of ’Art Pepper,’ written by Shorty Rogers (as part of a series of charts Kenton had commissioned to feature members of his band). Art left Sta