For once, let's hear it for piano man Russ Freeman! Though a prominent sideman on countless West Coast recordings, Freeman is best known as being an integral member of Chet Baker's outstanding original Quartet. Other notable associations for Freeman were with Shelly Manne, Andre Previn and Art Pepper. These early Pepper recordings are constantly recycled and therefore have been reviewed by my learned Jazzwise colleagues on a number of occasions. Here, the common denominator is Freeman – a two-fisted bebop-influenced pianist with an instantly recognisable touch and an abundance of ideas. As to be expected, Pepper is close to his best – alert and in total command of his spellbinding technique. What makes this collection worthy of close examination is the way he and Freeman interact. At times it's as though both musicians share one continuous train of thought, Freeman picking up the baton precisely at the moment Pepper concludes a solo. That kind of telepathy is fully on show during the many alternate takes included here.