One of the late
Thomas Chapin's finest all-round recordings, this set starts out in somewhat startling fashion with screaming by
Chapin and
John Zorn on altos before settling down into a relatively straight-ahead jam.
Zorn is on two selections (including one that includes poetry from
Vernon Frazer) but otherwise this is a trio outing, showcasing
Chapin on flute, baritone, soprano, and particularly alto while joined by bassist
Mario Pavone and drummer
Michael Sarin. While there are adventurous and free sections,
Chapin also has the opportunity to play the blues (on
Thelonious Monk's "Raise Four"), completely rework
Duke Ellington's "Daydream" (which is given a Western motif by bassist
Pavone), show off the influence of
Eric Dolphy, and introduce such intriguing originals as "A Drunken Monkey" and "The Night Hog." Highly recommended.