The Pepper-Knepper Quintet

This is our first Jazz feature into short-lived Jazz groups for the month of May. The Pepper-Knepper Quintet only made one album and it existed for a short time playing a few venues and concerts in New York City in 1958. Pepper Adams is one of the great masters of the baritone saxophone and Jimmy Knepper is one of the finest and most distinctive of the modern Jazz trombonists. They met while playing the occasional gig with Charles Mingus and became friends and musical colleagues. They decided to form a band and fortunately they were heard on one of their rare gigs by producer and Jazz critic Leonard Feather and he arranged to have them recorded. Adams chose the ideal rhythm section in Wynton Kelly on piano and organ on one piece, Doug Watkins on bass and the great Elvin jones on drums. The compositions are by Adams and Knepper and one by producer Leonard Feather plus a couple of Ellington ballads make this album a fine one and sadly this little band's only date. Here it tonight as our Jazz Feature!