When The Way It Was! was issued in 1972, Art Pepper's fans were surprised and pleased to discover that 16 years before, he had recorded with the enigmatic, underrated tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh. The four pieces on which they collaborated were among both men's best work of the mid-Fifties. To complete the album Contemporary added previously unissued tracks from Pepper's famous encounters with two great Miles Davis rhythm sections and a 1960 Pepper performance of "Autumn Leaves" that he regarded as one of his best solos. Pepper's own liner notes present his typically trenchant evaluations of the music and the players.

with Warne Marsh, Ronnie Ball, Ben Tucker, Gary Frommer, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, Dolo Coker, Jimmy Bond, Frank Butler, Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Cobb