This album's a special one for many reasons. Recorded just a month before Art Pepper's sudden death, it contains the results of his last recording session, one with which he was deeply satisfied. Also, it was Art's first duo album, a challenge he enjoyed and met with confidence, because his partner in the event was his favorite pianist, George Cables, "Mr. Beautiful," whom he respected and loved as an artist and as a friend. It's a special album, too, because Art finally got to play his first, and sometimes I thought his favorite horn, his clarinet (on about half of the tunes recorded), in a setting he deemed right for it. Art found the clarinet a glorious but often defiant and intractable instrument. I Know he thought his wonderful performance on it here a great triumph.
Since I've been given his space, I'd like to use some of it to thank, in Art's name producer Ed Michel, engineer Baker Bigsby, and Fantasy Records President Ralph Kaffel, talented, good people who enabled Art to do what he felt he had to do - communicate with his audience - by making possible a series of albums that challenged and rejoiced him. And although there's not enough room on a record jacket to name all those others whose support and inspiration were responsible for making these last years of Art's the flourishing and triumphant years they became, I hope you, friends, fans, musicians, technicians, critics, and music-business-people, I hope you know who you are and know that you and Art's thanks and his love. You can hear it in the music. -- Laurie Pepper, September 21, 1982
Tracks
01. Goin' Home (Traditional)
02. Samba Mom Mom (Art Pepper)
03. In A Mellow Tone (Duke Ellington/Milt Gabler)
04. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crayin' (Joe Green)
05. Isn't She Lovely (Stevie Wonder)
06. Billie's Bounce (Charlie Parker)
07. Lover Man (Davis/Sherman/Ramirez)
08. The Sweetest Sounds (Richard Rodgers)
09. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin' [Alternate A] (Joe Greene)
10. You Go To My Head [alternate] (Haven Gillespie/J. Fred Coots)
ART PEPPER alto saxophone, clarinet
GEORGE CABLES piano
Recorded May 11-12, 1982 at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley
Galaxy - GXY-5143 / Galaxy - OJCCD-679-2