A past-master, not a phantom
G B | Connecticut | 11/24/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Horace Tapscott was a big figure on the southern California jazz scene over the past few decades, mentoring younger musicians and leading a creative big band. A post-Monk pianist (in the same general neighborhood as Mal Waldron, Andrew Hill & Randy Weston) and a superb composer, he was sadly underrecorded throughout his career and never really got his due during his lifetime. This album, one of two he made for Arabesque, is highly recommended to all jazz fans. It's the kind of record you used to find on Blue Note in the mid-60s, maybe under McCoy Tyner or Jackie McLean's name: distinctive modal tunes, a tight rhythm section, and cooking post-bop solos. Included are four Tapscott originals as well as two tunes by his L.A. buddies, "The Goat and Ram Jam" (Jesse Sharps) and "Inspiration of Silence" (Ernest Straughter). Tapscott's partners in the quintet are the mighty Marcus Belgrave (trumpet), young Abraham Burton (alto sax), and the ace rhythm team of Andrew Cyrille and Reggie Workman. Tapscott's playing and compositions are full of rich humor (especially on "Drunken Mary/Mary on Sundays") and surprising twists. The lengthy finale, "Mothership", is an incredible performance -- as the solos progress, the rhythm section becomes looser and more responsive to the soloists, inexorably dragging the band out of orbit. Tapscott's rumbling, fiery exploration of the piano and a final statement of the modal theme bring things to a close and the mothership leaves for good. Sadly, it's hard to find Tapscott's recordings. Check out the trio recording Thoughts of Dar Es Salaam (also Arabesque); also, look for volumes 1 & 2 of The Dark Tree (HATology), which are definitely *in print* as of this writing. The latter is an intense, powerful live recording (darker and more "outside" than the Phantom) with Cyrille, Cecil McBee on bass, and John Carter on clarinet."
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1