The Giant Is Awakened Explained

The Giant is Awakened
Type:Album
Artist:Horace Tapscott Quintet
Cover:The Giant is Awakened.jpg
Released:1969
Recorded:April 1–3, 1969
Genre:Jazz
Length:38:39
Label:Flying Dutchman
FDS 107
Producer:Bob Thiele
Chronology:Horace Tapscott
Next Title:Songs of the Unsung
Next Year:1978

The Giant is Awakened is the debut album by American jazz pianist/composer Horace Tapscott recorded in 1969 and released on the Flying Dutchman label.[1] [2] [3]

Reception

AllMusic awarded the album 4½ stars.[4] The Chicago Reader noted "Tapscott was leery of the music business in general, and of this deal in particular—and considering a promise that he'd be involved in the mixing process was subsequently broken, his skepticism was prescient. He didn't record again for another decade, and then only for small independents like Nimbus and Interplay. In any case, as listeners, we should be grateful Tapscott agreed to make The Giant at all".[5]

Lloyd Sachs, writing for DownBeat, called the album "A sometimes hypnotic, sometimes starkly expressive reflection of those fractious times," and commented: "With its swooshing effects and two bassists... the album is ahead of its time. To the great disappointment of those who thrilled at this music, Tapscott didn't make another recording for 10 years. But Giant is as enrapturing now as it was then."

Track listing

All compositions by Horace Tapscott except as noted

  1. "The Giant Is Awakened" - 17:23
  2. "For Fats" (Arthur Blythe) - 2:20
  3. "The Dark Tree" - 7:01
  4. "Niger's Theme" - 11:55

Personnel

Notes and References

  1. http://www.posi-tone.com/tapscott/disco.html Horace Tapscott discography
  2. http://www.jazzlists.com/SJ_Label_FD_10100.htm Jazzlists: Flying Dutchman 10100 series discography
  3. http://www.bsnpubs.com/new/flyingdutchman.pdf Both Sides Now: Flying Dutchman Label Discography
  4. Allmusic Review
  5. Margasak, P., A crucial document of LA's jazz avant-garde gets reissued by local imprint International Phonograph, October 24, 2014