Horace Tapscott - The Dark Tree, Volumes 1 and 2 (hat ART, 1989)

This post is by Dan

Horace Tapscott (p); John Carter (cl); Cecil McBee (b); Andrew Cyrille (d)

Recorded December 14-17. 1989

Leave it to the Swiss hat ART label to give deserved recognition to Horace Tapscott, an American pianist, band leader, and community activist. Before The Dark Tree was released by hat ART, most of Tapscott's recordings were on the independent Nimbus West label, which was formed to record and release his music and to support artists engaged in the civil rights movement in Los Angeles. 

Knowing now what artists were on the bandstand during the gigs makes it a true "super group." We've praised John Carter's "Roots and Folklore" series, and Cecil McBee and Andrew Cyrille remain strong voices in all sorts of jazz settings. Tapscott died in 1999 at age 64. Fortunately, his recorded legacy lives on through reissues.

Volume 1 of The Dark Tree kicks off with a 20-minute version of the title composition. It's a basic vamp-based tune that gives ample space for soloists, especially Carter on clarinet. "Tales of Drunken Mary" follows in similar fashion and features a great bass solo by McBee. All of the players are locked into the performances in front of the live club audience. Music like this was rarely recorded in the 1980s except for labels like hat Art, which released many concert recordings in Europe and the U.S. 

Volume 1 was released in 1990. Volume 2 was released the following year. The hatOLOGY reissues include both volumes 1 and 2. All selections were taken from a 4-day gig at Catalina's Bar and Grill in Hollywood. The second disc includes all new tunes except for a second take of the title tune. There are two reissues on hatOLOGY in 2000 and 2009.