Search - Art Pepper :: San Francisco Samba: Live at Keystone Korner

Art's quartet live at the Keystone in August 1977

J. Levinson | Media, PA USA | 10/01/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album finds Art Pepper at the Keystone Korner in San Francisco a week after his historic stand at the Village Vanguard in NYC. While this set doesn't quite reach the same heights, it comes close enough to satisfy. Pianist George Cables is a constant, but the N.Y.-based George Mraz and Elvin Jones are replaced by Michael Formanek and Eddie Marshall on bass and drums on this set. The four tracks all break the 11-minute mark, allowing for plenty of extended improvisations by Art and George. Kenny Dorham's "Blue Bossa" and Art's own "Samba Mom Mom" allow the players to work a latin groove, and Eddie Marshall aggressively pushes the beat on these tunes with powerful rhythmic accents. "Art Meets Mr. Beautiful" is an upbeat stomp, and the Burke-Van Heusen ballad "Here's That Rainy Day" is given a moving rendition with Art at his emotive best."