Review of Two Art Pepper Presents West Coast Sessions! Albums

Art Pepper: Art Pepper Presents West Coast Sessions! Volume 3: Lee Konitz (Omnivore)
Art Pepper Presents West Coast Sessions! Volume 4: Bill Watrous (Omnivore)

These Art Pepper sides have a cheeky history. Far below the radar in the first half of the 1970s, the alto saxophonist remerged in ’77 ready to stand once more in the full glow of his talent. He was under contract to Fantasy/Galaxy, but a Pepper-friendly movement was taking place in Japan, which led to the Yupiteru label (which became Atlas) requesting his services for a series of dates. The legal catch was that Pepper couldn’t be the leader.