(2013)

It’s 2013 and the Republicans have closed down the Federal government again. Closed it down tight. Damn. And there’s a cat commenting on the shutdown on The Atlantic‘s website with the most happening alias ever. He calls himself ArtPepperMeetsTheRhythmSection. Now that’s a great user name. No pun intended. I don’t know if I’d trust him around the silverware, but damn, that is one cool freaking appellation.

So of course I dig out the album. Got it playing now. Listen to Miles’ rhythm section happening, seriously happening. Red Garland, Paul Chambers, the awesome Philly Joe Jones. Damn, man. They just showed up and bashed out these tunes. Each track is a gem. Jazz players were so on top of their shit back then. Their lives might be a mess, they might be ditching wives and the Man and contracts, but they were complete masters of their chosen instruments. Perfection, or damn close to it.

And that must have been some post-session hang…. Oh yeah.

Ya know, you listen to Art Pepper blowing his crazy floating unbop bopping shit now, in the summer of 2013, you’ll forget all about our fucked up politics and everything else. Fuck reality, I’ll take the Straight Life. He didn’t, but he sure could blow that thang.

Listen:

“Straight LIfe”
from Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section (1957)

Art Pepper (taking his turn with Stan Kenton, Balboa, CA. 1950)
I wish I knew who took this perfect jazz photo.