2013-0418 Frank Basile Celebrates Pepper Adams at Kogod-7736

2013-0418 Frank Basile Celebrates Pepper Adams at Kogod-7736, a photo by NoVARon on Flickr.

Thursday April 18, the monthly Take 5! program at the Smithsonian's Museum of American Art featured baritone saxophonist Frank Basile and his group celebrating the music of the late Pepper Adams.

Frank Basile

Adams, one of the most celebrated baritone players of the sixties until his death in 1986, first came to notice when he co-lead a group with Trumpeter Donald Byrd. He may be best known for his associations with Charles Mingus and the Thad Jones-Mel Louis Village Vanguard Orchestra, but was also a composer of note as well as a great player.

Basile, one of the finest young baritone sax players on the New York scene, has recorded CDs of Adams composition and brought his arrangements of Adams music for a group that included fellow baritone saxophonists Leigh Pilzer and Brad Linde. The rhythm section included pianist Hod O'Brien (who had played with Adams), bassist Tom Baldwin and drummer Tony Marucci.

It was a real pleasure listening to the three saxophonists, each with their own distinctive sound playing Adams' music. Reminder that the Take5! series takes place the third Thursday of the month and starts at 5:00PM, and runs until 7PM (8PM in the late spring and summer).