Playboys

The collaborations between Chet Baker and Art Pepper were originally issued in such a disparity of ways that it might seem difficult at first, to think about them as a coherent body of work. Their first session, for instance, was originally segmented in a variety of compilation albums, one tune each, and many times the selections were even abridged, suppressing a solo here or there. Along with another equally splendid session, it was included in Baker and Pepper’s most famous album together, Playboys, which was also released under the title Picture Of Heath. At the time, both Baker and Pepper were at their peaks, which is to say that each was playing as much or more on his instrument than anyone in jazz.