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Pepper Adams Plays Mingus

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Berry Gordy hedged his bets in 1962.Though the founder of Motown had his first #1 pop and R&B hit with the Marvelettes' Please Mr. Postman in late 1961, the following year was dry. So Gordy formed other labels—Gordy, Mel-o-dy, Divinity and Workshop— to diversify and reach different radio stations. Workshop was a jazz label that tapped into local musicians. Gordy knew the Detroit jazz market well, having run a jazz record store in the 1950s that went belly up and motivated him to start Motown in 1959.

In September 1963, Pepper Adams and Thad Jones teamed up to record Pepper Adams Plays the Compositions of Charlie Mingus on Workshop. Adams was from Detroit and Jones was from Pontiac. According to the liner notes, Mingus, Adams and Teddy Charles chose the songs for the album over a period of months.

The songs recorded on September 9 are Fables of Faubus, Black Light, Song With Orange, Carolyn, Incarnation [Reincarnation of a Lovebird] and Strollin' Honies [Nostalgia in Times Square]. The band featured Thad Jones (tp), Pepper Adams (bar) Hank Jones (p) Paul Chambers (b) and Dannie Richmond (d). Thad Jones arranged Fables of Faubus, Pepper Adams arranged Black Light and Incarnation, Charles Mingus arranged Carolyn and Strollin' Honies and Teddy Charles arranged Song With Orange.

On September 12, three more songs were added: Better Get It in Your Soul, Portrait and Haitian Fight Song. The ensemble included Thad Jones (tp), Benny Powell (tb), Charles McPherson (as), Zoot Sims (ts), Pepper Adams (bar), Hank Jones (p), Bob Cranshaw (b) and Dannie Richmond (d).

Better Get It in Your Soul, Portrait and Haitian Fight Song. Portrait was arranged by Thad Jones. I'm guessing that Mingus handled the other two arrangements. 

Adams and Thad Jones take on Mingus's music with enormous sensitivity and command that comes only from knowing the bassist and composer personally. One of my favorites on the album is Carolyn, which was written by Mingus specifically for this recording session in tribute to his daughter, Carolyn Keikki Mingus. [Photo above of Dannie Richmond courtesy of Drummerworld]

Charles Mingus died in 1979; Pepper Adams died in 1986.

JazzWax clip: Here's Carolyn...

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This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
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