Art Pepper: Surf Ride (Original Jazz Classics Series) (180g) (LP)

"Surf Ride" is an album of recordings from 1952-54, originally released in 1956 on the Savoy label. In addition to Pepper, the album also features Jack Montrose (tenor saxophone), Russ Freeman / Hampton Hawes / Claude Williamson (piano), Monty Budwig / Joe Mondragon / Bob Whitlock (bass) and Larry Bunker (drums). About Original Jazz Classics: Original Jazz Classics was launched in 1982 under Fantasy Records and revived in 2023 with a focus on audiophile reissues of landmark jazz recordings. With over 850 reissued titles to date from the groundbreaking catalogs of Prestige, Riverside, Galaxy, Contemporary, Jazzland, Milestone and others, OJC remains a trusted source for jazz discovery and rediscovery. Since its reintroduction, the series has garnered much praise from critics, with Record Collector Magazine declaring, "The sound is out of this world." Tracking Angle described the OJC reissue of Thelonious Monk's "Monk's Music" as "remarkable" and "the best-sounding pressing" of the album to date. Absolute Sound raved about the stereo reissue of Mal Waldron's "The Quest", noting that it "sounds fabulous - full-bodied, immediate and crackling with energy". Jazzwise praised the "unparalleled" quality of the series, describing the reissues as 'exceptional' and with "stunningly eloquent" sound. Qobuz highlighted the remastering, raving that it "breathes vibrant life into the original tapes".