The legendary Los Angeles-based pianist
Horace Tapscott was under-recorded during his career. Fortunately, the Nimbus label has rescued a large assortment of private tapes that feature
Tapscott playing solo piano. Ten CDs were released by 2004. The piano that
Tapscott plays on
Vol. 9 may not be flawless, but his playing is excellent during these performances from 1983. Because
Tapscott performs five jazz standards in addition to four of his better originals, this is one of the more accessible of these releases.
Tapscott had an original style, one that ranged from his own brand of hard bop to freer sounds, often within the same piece. These solo ruminations are sometimes out of tempo and often give one the impression of hearing
Tapscott thinking aloud. Since he had such a fertile and creative mind, this is a rewarding acquisition. ~ Scott Yanow