how

art pepper could steal tv's on foot, high out of his mind on heroin, and then walk into a record studio and record classic albums for double scale, about 80 bucks back in the 50's. this is how smack up was recorded. bird could show up unannounced at a gig with a big band, and, with no rehearsal time, play a plastic alto and sound better than anyone on earth, as he did at a concert in dc back in 53.

did you know that the sidemen on kind of blue, the most famous jazz record of all time, made 66 bucks for a day of recording? beyonce probably makes more in a second. it was never about money or fame for the greats. it was about the music. they played because they needed to. it didn't matter whether they were high or broke. stan getz could walk into a store and rob it, he could wake up from a drug induced nightmare and in a mad state, attack the nearest person, and yet still walk into a recording studio and play with the most beautiful tone on earth. when zoot was asked how he played so well when he was loaded, he responded that he practices when he's loaded. geme ammons used to make weekend trips from chicago into van gelder's jersey studio to make jam sessions that to this day have no equal. he too, was one high dude, as a quick glance of his boss tenor cover makes clear.

but, in the end, none of that matters. only the music matters. they were amazing men, and hence, they did amazing things. yusef would gather his quintet into his car, and drive from detroit to that very same van gelder studio for marathon sessions, a few new york gigs, and then gather the forces and return home. and this he did sober. either way, the music lives, if only known to a few. sonny rollins used to bemoan the fact that "nothing's happening" after every take in the studio, but he was off base. these giants always made it happen, and their offerings are as fresh now as when they first came out.

i, for on, am honored to be on the trail, waiting and looking for the next obscure classic to fall into my hands.

it won't be long.