The Dark Tree cover

The Dark Tree

Recorded
Released

Pianist Tapscott was a crucial figure in West Coast avant-garde jazz for decades, leading the Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra since the 1960s. This live double disc, recorded in 1989, showcases his playing in a different context: a quartet featuring clarinetist John Carter, bassist Cecil McBee, and drummer Andrew Cyrille, whose precision strikes throughout and marching rhythm on “Lino’s Pad” in particular give the music a fierce intensity. Tapscott’s music had a questing quality that strove for beauty and uplift, and this is the sound of his spirit in full flower.

Phil Freeman

Recommended by

Suggestions
Apex cover

Apex

Bunky Green, Jason Moran, Rudresh Mahanthappa
Crystals cover

Crystals

Sam Rivers
Rabo De Nube cover

Rabo De Nube

Jason Moran, Eric Harland, Reuben Rogers, Charles Lloyd Quartet
The Eighth cover

The Eighth

Cecil Taylor
Squint cover

Squint

Julian Lage
The Daily Biological cover

The Daily Biological

Chad Taylor Trio
The Dark Keys cover

The Dark Keys

Branford Marsalis
Sunburst cover

Sunburst

Eddie Henderson
Morton Feldman: Piano and String Quartet cover

Morton Feldman: Piano and String Quartet

Kronos Quartet, Aki Takahashi