As a sort of follow-up to
Art Pepper's matchup with
Miles Davis' trio in the 1957 classic
Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section,
Pepper utilizes
Davis' sidemen on this 1960 near-classic. In addition to pianist
Wynton Kelly, bassist
Paul Chambers, and drummer
Jimmy Cobb, trumpeter
Conte Candoli makes the group a quintet on four of the eight numbers. This time around, rather than emphasizing standards,
Pepper performs just three ("Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise,"
Thelonious Monk's "Rhythm-A-Ning," and "The Way You Look Tonight") and includes three originals of his own: "Diane," "Bijou the Poodle," and "Gettin' Together." The music is all very straight-ahead and bop-oriented, but as usual,
Pepper brings something very personal and unique to his playing; he sounds like no one else. [Some reissues add "The Way You Look Tonight" (formerly only available on another LP) and an alternate take of the title cut to the original repertoire.] ~ Scott Yanow