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Straight Life: The Story of Art Pepper
 
 
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Straight Life: The Story of Art Pepper (Paperback)

by Art Pepper (Author), Laurie Pepper (Author), Gary Giddins (Introduction) "MY GRANDMOTHER was a strong person ..." (more)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
Price: £12.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Product details

  • Paperback: 616 pages
  • Publisher: Da Capo Press Inc; Revised edition edition (1 Mar 1994)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0306805588
  • ISBN-13: 978-0306805585
  • Product Dimensions: 20.4 x 12.6 x 3.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 213,583 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #81 in  Books > Biography > Film, Television & Music > Music > Blues
    #95 in  Books > Biography > Film, Television & Music > Music > Jazz

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Product Description

Product Description

Art Pepper (19251982) was called the greatest alto saxophonist of the post-Charlie Parker generation. But his autobiography, Straight Life , is much more than a jazz bookit is one of the most explosive, yet one of the most lyrical, of all autobiographies. This edition is updated with an extensive afterword by Laurie Pepper covering Art Peppers last years, and a complete and up-to-date discography by Todd Selbert.
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MY GRANDMOTHER was a strong person. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
5 star:
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4 star:
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3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars hot Pepper, 1 April 1999
By A Customer
A book of startling honesty, Pepper's life was a mixture of dire degradation and divine inspiration. After a while, there is a tendancy just to become exasperated with Art, as he continually takes one step forward and two back, and this creates a certain repetition (after a while you just KNOW that he's gonna goof again!). The book remains however, overwhelmingly moving as a demonstration of both the strengths (Pepper's immense talent) and weaknesses (his obsessive, addictive behaviour) of human nature.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning Book!, 19 Feb 1999
By A Customer
This is one of the most powerful and moving autobiographies I have ever read, in any context. In the sphere of jazz, it is unsurpassed. Even someone who has never heard or heard of Art Pepper should read this book. If you like his music, it is indispensible. Just when you start to wonder where fact ends and fiction starts, the author keeps jolting you back to total belief with brutally honest criticisms of himself, his weaknesses and his talents. A superb book on and by a superb artist, and the wife who clearly gave him immense support, love and inspiration. All life is here.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Flawed talant evokes highs and lows of life on the road, 19 Dec 1999
By matthewv@ndirect.co.uk (London, England) - See all my reviews
Musicians will derive a great pleasure from this autobiography as Art Pepper talks about crazy times on tour, wrangles with management and group leaders, being flush with cash and also not having enough for your next meal in your pocket: in short, a musician's life. However Pepper's highs were very high indeed - he was pulling in a giant wage as his big band's star altoist, and he played with many of the greatest of his day - but his lows plumbed the depths. There is a passage of pure exhilaration as he depicts a cutting contest with Sonny Stitt which is as good a piece of writing on the sheer power of music as may be found anywhere. You may not like Pepper but it might have been fun to have knocked around with him for a short while. This is no work of literature in terms of style, but the book builds a compelling image of the period. Students of slang will also appreciate 'Straight Life', Pepper having great experience of both prison and music. If you like your books dull, then you won't enjoy his story!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars INCREDIBLE reading mateiral
This horrific and at times heartbreaking story of Art Pepper's life, as told by himself and several friends, relatives, collegues and such, will haunt you long after reading... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Nikica Gilic

5.0 out of 5 stars Brutally honest self-portrait
I have read this book twice now. The first time I read it, being a fanatical fan of Art Pepper and having seen him at his best, and worst, I was looking for reasons why Art had... Read more
Published on 1 Aug 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning Book!
This is one of the most powerful and moving autobiographies I have ever read, in any context. In the sphere of jazz, it is unsurpassed. Read more
Published on 19 Feb 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Reading Straight Life 4 times over the last 10 years finally
Reading Straight Life 4 times over the last 5 years finally motivated me to listen to some jazz...

Straight Life is one of those few books that I feel compelled to re-read every... Read more

Published on 12 May 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful!
This book is an honest account of a life which was anything but straight. Art Pepper succeeded in becoming one of the finest alto saxophonists of all time despite his hopeless... Read more
Published on 8 Oct 1997

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