ART'S LEGACY
In my humble opinion,this recording along with "Meets The Rhythm Section" are Art's two greatest recordings, and confirm his legacy as one of the greatest improvisors in modern jazz history. The charts by the great Marty Paich are a perfect showcase for Art on alto, tenor AND clarinet-- (Dig his solo on "Anthropology.") Art's great lead alto is in evidence on "Grooving High" and "Airegin." "Round Midnight" stands as a perfect blend of arrangement and solo--my favorite cut on the CD. Needless to say, the playing by the ensemble is peerless, thanks to a lineup of West Coast all-stars. Jack Sheldon contributes some of his best recorded solos as Art's front-line partner. I've owned this as an LP since my high school days in the early 1960s and it remains one of my all-time favorites. I never tire of listening to it. A timeless classic.

Great Little Big Band
This 1959 Los Angeles recording is a great example Marty Paich's incredible arrangement prowness, and Art Pepper's command of a small big band. The band takes on 12 standards from the likes of Gillespie, Parker, Monk, and Sonny Rollins, among others, and turns in highly innovative performances that never lose their focus. Art Pepper has several solos that really swing (Bird's "Donna Lee"). Great sounding recording as well. Highly recommended, especially if you want to bridge the gap between 40's Big Bands and Bop Combo's of the 50's.

four and 1/2 stars.
looking for some jazz that's busy and going places? something uptempo and fine? well, here you have it. this is an outstanding album of energetic jazz. with all the players involved here, and the pace that they go at it, it's amazing how precise everything comes out. each instrument, each note seems about as right as it should be. very very entertaining, indeed.

One of a Kind
as everyone says here, one of the best. The playing is consistently great and the charts phenomenal. The thing I love about it most is the swagger, the attitude, the effortless playing of some really intricate 5 part harmonies with an utterly confident stylist out front. One of the all time greats of the jazz canon.

When Jazz rules
This is some spectacular, immortal music. It is surely one of the most stunning and complete examples of the art of Jazz playing, improvising, composing and arranging. So you have the full picture of what the art of modern jazz is all about in one single album. Here you have some of the greatest modern jazz compositions (from Parker's, Gillespie's, Mulligan's etc songbooks), a spectacular arranger in charge (Marty Paich), an incredible soloist, one of the greatest sax player in the history of jazz music and a very tight small-big band roaring. I'd rate this album surely among, not the best 100 jazz albums of all time, but I would rate it among the best 25 for sure. Maybe it could be even in my top ten (and I own 7000 jazz cds at this time). I have listened to this one thousands of times and it has never tired me. It is still one of the best Art Pepper recordings for sure. Probably I am more affected to Surf Ride where he plays magnificiently in combo format, but Plus Eleven is still among his three or four most important albums (Plus rhythmn section, Surf Ride, everything from his fifties period) and one of the most important album in the history of Jazz music. I prefer Art's "Plus Eleven" to "Birth of the cool" from Miles Davis two albums often compared. Plus eleven swings a lot more and it is a lot more hard driven, which for me it's a plus! Buy it and scream with me, "JAZZ"!