Pepper Adams - The Complete Albums Collection: 1957 - 1961 (2017)

Considered by many to be the deeper, tougher East Coast counterpart to Gerry Mulligan's lighter, contemporary West Coast sound with his blistering pace and raw timbre, Pepper Adams was one of the most important baritone saxophonists during the rise of bebop. An accomplished composer and equally as comfortable leading his own bands or as sideman, Adams partook in over 600 recording sessions, appearing on dozens of albums. However, it was his work as bandleader that received the highest renown, particularly during the early part of his career, as he helped shape the baritone into a leading instrument in bop music. This four disc collection, bringing together over five hours of music across four discs, celebrates the genius and unparalleled talent of Pepper Adams by collating his first eight albums as leader or co-leader. With all audio faithfully remastered, this set will be serve as the perfect starting point to this master musician, and a welcome reminder to those already well-versed.