Sonny Rollins – Art Pepper – Analogue Productions 45RPM UHQR 200g Double LP on Clarity Vinyl Combo Special

Sonny Rollins – How Way Out West shaped jazz

• Masterful Trio: The album’s infamous 3 a.m. recording sessions featured Rollins’ sax strolling over the contributions of onetime Ella Fitzgerald bassist Ray Brown and iconic West Coast Jazz drummer Shelly Manne, neither of whom Rollins had ever played with. An open setting gives Rollins space to be harmonically inventive. Rollins’ saxophone mastery shines brightly on every track!

• Musical innovation: From the swinging “I’m an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande),” written by Johnny Mercer and made famous by Bing Crosby — skillfully mixing country and jazz, to the haunting Rollins’ original composition and title track “Way Out West,” the album redefines jazz improvisation.

• Frequently included in “Best Saxophone Albums” and “Best Jazz Trios” lists. AllMusic rates it 5/5 Stars! Sonny Rollins’ groundbreaking album is a cornerstone of jazz history.

Art Pepper – The Perfect Trio: Pepper, Garland, Chambers, and Jones

Imagine the magic when Art Pepper, the virtuoso of the alto saxophone, joins forces with the legendary rhythm section of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. This 1957 Contemporary Records label debut spotlights their synergy on classics such as “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” and “Waltz Me Blues,” sounding nothing short of sublime!

For Pepper, known for his emotionally charged performances, Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section marked a career milestone. According to him, the album was recorded under enormous pressure, as he first learned of the recording session the morning he was due in the studio, and he had never met the other musicians, all of whom he greatly admired. His horn was also in less than exceptional condition. Still, the session produced results that Becky Byrkit, writing for AllMusic, deemed, “a diamond of recorded jazz history.” Brian Morton and Richard Cook, writing for The Penguin Jazz Guide (10th ed.), described Meets The Rhythm Section as “a poetic, burning date, with all four men playing above themselves… Between them, they’d delivered a masterpiece.”

Meets The Rhythm Section also shares a storied link to the origins of Contemporary Records, founded in 1951 by Lester Koenig.

For this UHQR edition of Meets The Rhythm Section we have an included a 16-page booklet that tells the history of Contemporary Records as well as offering new liner notes from John Koenig, Lester’s son, known for his insightful jazz reviews.

The Ultimate Listening Experience

• UHQR Vinyl: Immerse yourself in unparalleled sound quality with the Acoustic Sounds UHQR pressing, crafted for audiophiles who demand the best, with attention paid to every single detail of this one-of-a-kind reissue.

• Precision craftsmanship: Four glorious sides of 200-gram Clarity Vinyl from Quality Record Pressings, the world’s best pressing plant. Cut at 45 RPM to reduce distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately. UHQRs from Analogue Productions are the gold-standard in premium vinyl releases. The proprietary vinyl compound enhances the sound quality, offering improved dynamics, detail, and tonal accuracy. The heavier vinyl minimizes resonance and warping, providing a stable and flat playing surface. And great care is taken to eliminate any surface noise or imperfections throughout the manufacturing process. Lastly, your record is housed in a Stoughton Printing Old Style tip-on gatefold heavyweight jacket with scuff-resistant matte finish. The record and supporting materials are contained in a deluxe textured clamshell box.

Overall, UHQR Clarity Vinyl from Analogue Productions is a sought-after format among audiophiles and collectors who value the highest possible audio fidelity from their vinyl records.