Search - Pepper Adams :: Encounter

Very Close Encounter

Douglas T Martin | Alpharetta, GA USA | 08/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Encounter" showcases as good a line-up as you'll find on record: Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Zoot Sims on tenor, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and the force-of-nature known as Elvin Jones driving this train with both bombast and sensitivity. Adam's "Inanout" is an old-school bop number with some hardcore soloing from Adams and Sims on what almost threatens to become a Jazz-At-The-Philharmonic-style cutting contest. The Strayhorn/Ellington composition "Star-Crossed Lovers" is a beautiful ballad with a etheral solo by Flanagan. Particularly effective is the way Sims and Adams take turns supporting each other with the same single-note accents while the other plays the melody.



"Elusive" is a smoking Thad Jones song with swinging solos from both horns and more jaw-dropping drumwork from the composer's brother, Elvin Jones. During Tommy Flanagan's solo, you can hear someone say "Yeah!" off mic - not sure who said it but I'm in complete agreement. Flanagan contributes the closing number, "Verdandi", a quick and rousing number made to blow the listeners out of their seats. Again, Elvin Jones tears this tune up - when the final chord fades out, you'll just want to say "Whew!""

SPICY JAZZ

Ozzie | Brugge, Flanders | 09/19/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This 1968 recording by Pepper Adams proves (once again) what a master he was on the less popular baritone sax. There's no heavy-handedness in his playing whatsoever, rather, he plays in a swinging, soulful mood, sometimes gruff, but always melodic. The presence of tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims is a nice touch : nobody could ever create a more smooth sound on the horn; absolute masters like Ben Webster or Ike Quebec may have equalled him with their own particular sound, but never surpassed him, as he never sounded like nobody but himself. Add Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Elvin Jones on drums, and you know this has to be a great union of top jazzmen, and it is ! A set which is made up largely of originals and fairly recent compositions by the likes of Joe Henderson and Thad Jones, this is no run-of-the-mill jam session, rather a beautifully crafted showcase for the talent of these five greats."

Red Hot Pepper

andy7 | Los Angeles, CA United States | 02/07/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After hearing Pepper Adams stand out on various Mingus and Coltrane albums I decided to seek out his solo albums. While I didn't dislike most of them I found the musical style to be too laid-back and "cool". This CD "Encounter" is the exception to the rule. It easily features some of his most intense, hardest swinging ever, possibly because he's getting support from the legendary John Coltrane rhythm section of Elvin Jones, Ron Carter and Tommy Flanagan. Zoot Sims is also on hand and sounds terrific. If you want to hear Pepper Adams play hard-bop rather than in the Mulligan cool mode give this one a spin!"