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Chuck Florence
Remembering Jim Pepper(Saxophile)
Saxophonist Jim Pepper died in 1992 at the age of 50. Sadly, he was at the peak of his powers and starting to get more recognition prior to his terminal illness. Saxophonist Chuck Florence, a native of Detroit transplanted to Montana, never met Pepper himself. The idea for this session was generated when Florence was working alongside bassist Ed Schuller, who had played extensively with Pepper in his last decade. Schuller brought to the project his fiancee Nicole Kampgen and his brother George (leader of the band Orange Then Blue), while Florence recruited Montana guitarist Craig Hall.
The CD booklet says it was recorded live in concert, though there is no evidence of an audience to be heard. They play 7 pieces, of which only one (a great 'Ghana Folk Song', credited to Don Cherry) was not (to my knowledge at least) recorded by Pepper. The pieces chosen include both those reflecting Pepper's American Indian heritage (such as 'Lakota Song') and more straightforward jazz pieces (such as 'Funny Glasses and a Mustache'). Several feature Kampgen's strong, attractive voice, with occasional enthusiastic (if not always precise) vocal backing from Ed Schuller. Florence doesn't sound much like Pepper, but he is in the same general stylistic area of jazz saxophony, and his vigorous gruff-toned playing is well suited to this material. Kampgen's alto sax also contributes very nicely on the tracks where it's heard. The Schuller brothers are both excellent; Ed contributes several very impressive solos as well as sterling support. Guitarist Hall stays in the background for the most part, but consistently provides fine support.
One minor disappointment in the material is that they perform only the introductory chant portion of Pepper's best known composition, 'Witchi-Tai-To'. This lasts under two minutes, and features only the two voices and percussion. It's a bit odd to hear the chant without it being followed up by the familiar song. That quibble aside, these renditions are all very enjoyable, and hopefully will help to keep Pepper's music alive well beyond his own untimely passing.
— Dan Kurdilla, Oct 2000
Release Date: 2000please send comments to jazzmatazz@att.net
last update 20 October 2000