Horace Tapscott - 2020 - Live At Century City Playhouse

Horace Tapscott & Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra 

2020 

Live At Century City Playhouse

01. Jitterbug Waltz

02. Leland’s Song

03. Linda’s Story

04. Listen My Children

05. Raisha’s New Dance

06. Noissesprahs

07. Bibi Mkuu

08. Village Dance

Lester Robertson - trombone

Johnny Williams - baritone sax

Billie Harris - soprano sax

Desta Walker, Sabir Matteen - tenor sax

Adele Sebastian - flute vocals

Horace Tapscott - piano

Linda Hill - piano, vocals

Louis Spears - cello

Alan Hines, David Bryant - bass

Billy Hinton - drums

Conga Mike, Daa'oud Woods - percussion

Live at Century City Playhouse September 9, 1979

500 copies

Gatefold tip-on sleeve, featuring archival photographs and a beautiful essay by Mark Weber

No track timings on LPs or sleeve

Gatefold jacket with 3rd LP simply placed inside the gatefold.

A never before issued recording of Horace Tapscott leading his legendary Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, "Live at Century City Playhouse 9/9/79" documents the entirety of a 2 hours performance, cut directly from original master tapes with no digital process whatsoever

Legendary Los Angeles collective – a spiritual avant ensemble working under the leadership of pianist Horace Tapscott, really stretching out here on a variety of very long tracks recorded at a special live performance in 1979! The 3LP space of the record really gets at the range of expression going on under Tapscott's leadership – as some tracks are quite free, others have more structure – and all bristle with the individual contributions of the members of the group – a stunning lineup that also features piano from Linda Hill, flute from Adele Sebastian, tenor from Sabir Matteen and Desta Walker, soprano from Billie Harris, trombone from Lester Robertson, baritone from Johnny Williams, cello from Louis Spears, bass from Alan Hines and David Bryant, and percussion from Conga Mike, Billy Hinton, and Daa'Oud Woods. This is definitely some of the boldest playing we've ever heard from the Arkestra – and that's really saying a lot – stepping out strongly on titles that include "Noisseprahs", "Bibi Mkuu", "Village Dance"," Leland's Song", "Linda's Story", and "Listen My Children".

Finally available after long pressing delays, comes a never before issued recording of Horace Tapscott leading his legendary Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, "Live at Century City Playhouse 9/9/79", documenting the entirety of a 2 hours performance that sprawls across glorious 3 LPs.

Easily one of the most beautiful, striking, and historically important records of the year, it’s a joyous explosion of sound, seeded by social, political, and community-based action, at the juncture of spiritual and free jazz. 10 out of 10 and not to be missed, it’s impossible to express how happy we are to have this one in our hands after a long wait.

Live at Century City Playhouse 9/9/79 is one of those rare documents of avant-garde jazz that, even 40 years after it was laid to tape, challenges the mind and creative sensibilities, while promoting the body to dance. The band is locked in and loud - rattling, rhythmic, and tonally complex - met by wild exclamations of an ecstatic audience taken to the brink.

This is what music is all about - by the people and for the people, bringing us together and fueling the forward march - the sounds of hope and change, locked in mesmerizing creative exchange. Few records to have emerged this year can claim these heights. An absolute masterpiece that once heard will leave you wondering where it’s been all these years.

Unquestionably one of the best records of the year, cut directly from the original master tapes with no process, and issued in a gatefold tip-on sleeve, featuring archival photos and a beautiful essay by veteran writer Mark Weber, it doesn’t get any better than this. Nimbus have only pressed 500 copies, so this one isn’t going to sit around for long. A 10 out of 10 and as essential as records come.