Pepper Adams
Birth name	Park Adams III
Born	October 8, 1930(1930-10-08)
Origin	Highland Park, Michigan
Died	September 10, 1986 (aged 55)
Genres	Jazz, Hard bop
Instruments	Baritone saxophone
Labels	Enja
Associated acts	Charles Mingus, Lee Morgan, Donald Byrd, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band

Park "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was a jazz baritone saxophonist. Nicknamed "The Knife" for his sound on the horn, he had a hearty tone and driving rhythmic sense which provided the antithesis to the lighter, floating (and consequently more popular) style of his contemporary Gerry Mulligan.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Discography 2.1 As leader 2.2 As sideman 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Biography

Pepper Adams was born in Highland Park, Michigan. His family moved to Rochester, New York when he was young. and in that city he began his musical efforts. Then when he was sixteen he moved back to Detroit, Michigan, near where he had been born, and where he met several musicians who would later be important to his career, including trumpeter Donald Byrd. Adams now became interested in Wardell Gray's approach to the saxophone, later naming Gray and Harry Carney as his influences. He also spent time in a United States Army band, and briefly had a tour of duty in Korea.^[1]

He later moved to New York City, where he played on the album Dakar by John Coltrane, played with Lee Morgan on The Cooker, and briefly worked with Benny Goodman's band in 1958. During this time, Adams also began working with Charles Mingus, performing on one of Mingus's finest albums from this period, Blues & Roots. Thereafter he recorded with Mingus sporadically until the latter's death in 1979. He later became a significant member of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band from 1965 to 1978, and continued to record Jones's compositions on many of his own albums.^[2] Adams also co-led a quintet with trumpeter Donald Byrd, with whom he recorded a live date, 10 to 4 at the 5 Spot, featuring Elvin Jones.^[3]

He died of lung cancer in Brooklyn, New York on September 10, 1986.^[4]

As can be heard on his recordings with Morgan and Mingus, Adams's sound on the baritone was very big and intense – almost completely contrasting that of Gerry Mulligan – and so lent itself very well to up the up-tempo hard bop style that was prevalent during the 1950s and '60s. The styles of Adams and Mulligan are considered to be the foundation for contemporary playing of the baritone saxophone, and Adams's influence can be heard in the work of such notable jazz baritone saxophone players as Scott Robinson, Ronnie Cuber and Vanguard Jazz Orchestra "bari chair" Gary Smulyan, among many others.

[edit] Discography

[edit] As leader

• Pepper Adams Quintet (1957)
• Critic's Choice (1957)
• 10 to 4 at the 5 Spot (1958), with Donald Byrd and Elvin Jones
• Donald Byrd and Pepper Adams, Out of This World: The Complete Warwick Sessions (1961), with pianist Herbie Hancock
• Encounter (1968)
• Ephemera (1973)
• Julian (1975)
• Twelfth and Pingree (1975)
• Live in Europe (1977)
• Live Jazz By the Sea (1977), live in California
• Reflectory (1978)
• Be-Bop (1979) Musica Records
• The Master (1980)
• Urban Dreams (1981), quartet with pianist Jimmy Rowles
• Conjuration: Fat Tuesday's Session (1983), live with trumpeter Kenny Wheeler
• The Adams Effect (1989, posthumously)

[edit] As sideman

With Ben Webster

• See You at the Fair (1964)

With Charles Mingus

• Blues & Roots (1959)

With The Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra

• Consummation (1970)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Pepper Adams on The Hard Bop Homepage
• A site with information on all the great Jazz Baritone Saxophonists and vintage horns