| Incredible material from the LA jazz underground! Although Los Angeles was always best known for its cool jazz scene during the 50s and 60s, beneath it all, there was a core group of modernist soul jazz players (Jack Wilson, Curtis Amy, Horace Tapscott, and others) working away to forge a whole new idiom. And although much of that music never got the attention it deserved, it has left a lasting influence on the face of modern jazz -- as you'll hear in this excellent reissue of rare early material by the quintet headed by trombonist Lou Blackburn and trumpeter Freddie Hill, and featuring pianist Horace Tapscott. Tapscott's well known for his later work as part of the LA avant scene, but he's equally talented here in this early session, adding some fantastic piano touches to Blackburn's lively compositions. The set sparkles with energy and creativity, and it's got a whopping total of 18 tracks in all. The liner notes are a bit spare as to whether or not this stuff has been issued before, but who cares? The whole package is great, and it's filled with killer tracks like "New Frontier", "Perception", "Scorpio", "Harlem Bossa Nova", and "Grand Prix". |