Playboys (Chet Baker and Art Pepper album)

Playboys is a studio album featuring jazz musicians Chet Baker and Art Pepper, recorded in 1956 but not released until 1981. The sessions took place in Los Angeles, California, and showcase the two celebrated trumpet players alongside a rhythm section featuring Phil Urso on tenor saxophone, Carl Perkins on piano, Curtis Counce on bass, and Lawrence Marable on drums.

The album is noted for capturing Baker and Pepper at a particularly creative and vibrant period in their careers, despite the personal struggles both faced with addiction. The music primarily consists of bebop and hard bop arrangements, emphasizing improvisation and interplay between the horn players. The tracks often feature extended solos from Baker, Pepper, and Urso, providing ample opportunity to appreciate their distinct styles.

The initial delay in release contributed to the album's later cult status among jazz enthusiasts. When finally issued by Pacific Jazz Records in 1981, it was under the title Playboys. Later reissues sometimes appear under alternative titles such as Picture of Heath or Route 66, often adding bonus tracks from the same recording sessions. These alternative titles stem from variations in how the material was initially presented and repackaged over the years.

Despite the shifting names, the core recordings remain highly regarded as an example of West Coast jazz and a testament to the talents of Baker and Pepper. The album is considered a significant document of the Los Angeles jazz scene during the mid-1950s.