Art Pepper (1925–1982), searing alto sax voice of the West Coast, blended cool-school lyricism with hard-bop fire. A Stan Kenton star turned compelling small-group leader, he cut classics Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section and +Eleven: Modern Jazz Classics, plus a blazing 1977 Village Vanguard series. His turbulent life is chronicled in the memoir Straight Life.