The Pace Report: "Celebrating The Life and Legacy of Pepper Adams" The "Joy Road" Celebration

On the week of September 24, 2012 in New York City, the entire jazz community came out in full to support the release of jazz historian and writer Gary Carner's biography "Joy Road," on the life of composer and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams. In commemoration of Pepper's life, Carner also produced a five CD digital box set featuring the music and compositions released on Motema Music for music fans to download via the label's website and i-Tunes. The 51 disc box set features a set of individual discs featuring: vocalist Alexis Cole and pianist Adam Birnbaum's "I Carry Your Heart," a recording of Alexis singing the music of Pepper Adams with lyrics written by Barry Wallenstien. She's also joined by the Jeremy Kahn Trio and special guests Eric Alexander and Pat Labarbera. The other four volumes include music by the Frank Basile Sextet and the Jeremy Kahn Quartet, the Kevin Bales Quartet, Barry Greene, Joe Mangnarelli, and Gary Smulyan. Motema Music also released two discs you can buy in stores, vocalist Alexis Cole and a sampler of all the music from the box set. In addition to the kick-off of Gary's book and the CD box set, Motema Records also kicked off their Jazz for Wine Lovers Series. Gary an avid wine lover, presented throughout the week, wine from his co-sponsors Hannah Nicole Vineyards, Standing Stone Vineyards, and Strangeland Vineyards. Music fans at all the venues were also given an opportunity to receive a free download of the title track "Joy Road" once they joined the e-mail list for the program at www.jazzforwinelovers.com. The Monday night kick-off featured noted jazz luminary and promoter Mary Ann Topper, who programmed and arranged all the festivities for the week, served as emcee and introduced the special musical guests that performed during the evening. They included Motema recording artist Alexis Cole and pianist Adam Birnbaum performing selections of the Pepper Adams composition based "I Carry My Heart," the Lakecia Benjamin Quintet, and a all-star band featuring NEA Jazz Master Curtis Fuller, Louis Hayes, Don Friedman, Rufus Reid, Ronnie Ben-Hur, Gary Smulyan, and Frank Basile. Everyone played new arrangements of Pepper's music including "Mary's Blues," "Trentino," "Urban Dreams," and "Claudette's Way." Other special musical events centered around Pepper's music that took place during the week were performances by The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra at the famed Village Vanguard, jazz organist Mike LeDonne's "The Hammond B3 Meets Pepper Adams" set at Smoke, The Frank Basile Sextet Plays Pepper Adams at Smalls, and vocalist Alexis Cole and her quintet performing at Smoke. Park Frederick Adams III was born on October 8, 1930 in Highland Park, Michigan. As a child has family moved to Rochester, New York where as an early teen he learned how to play the clarinet and tenor saxophone. When his family moved back to Detroit, it was there Pepper switched and began playing the baritone saxophone. It was also in Detroit where he became friends with who would become another jazz luminary, trumpeter Donald Byrd, who would later play with during the late 1950's. Pepper was influenced by Ellington bandmate Harry Carney and tenor saxophonist Wardell Grey. When Adams moved to New York City during the mid-1950's he became a well in-demand session musician backing and playing with the likes of Lee Morgan, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Elvin Jones, Kenny Clarke, Oliver Nelson, Duke Pearson, and Benny Goodman. His most famous musical partnerships was of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band in which he played with for 11 years. Pepper would influence a younger legion of baritone saxophone players including Ronnie Cuber, Gary Smulyan, and Frank Basile. Pepper composed some 43 songs throughout his music career. Adams died on September 10, 1986 of lung cancer in Brooklyn, New York. For more information on the life and legacy of Pepper Adams, please visit writer Gary Carner's Pepper Adams' Joy Road website at www.pepperadams.com. There you can find direct links to order Gary's biography "Joy Road" and extensive links chronicling the saxophonist's life. Also visit www.Motema.com to order the "Joy Road" box set and sampler CDs. Also, for more information on the Jazz For Wine Lovers visit them online as well at www.jazzforwinelovers.com.