for horace tapscott
(1934 --1999)
the one thing constant in a changing
world is the avant- garde.
louis jouvet
yr ark -- a life raft for breathing black history & louis jouvet
its marginalized players, composers, writers &
poets -- was abrasive, had a hard political
edge like yr abrupt, percussive, bop-like keyboard style
stirring big chords like fatha hines, tatum & erroll
garner. u, hunched like a long, tall wraith, rocking over
the keyboard, attacking from one end to the other;
a tidal wave crashing on the rock-like mainstream,
wearing its roughness smooth. on its winds yr distinctive,
syncretic compositional & solo voice. yr
musicians, poets & artists taking off in as
many odd directions as their numbers, yet meshing
cohesively in a funky subliminal groove.
©Joseph McNair;2010
Horace Tapscott was a magic wand, a musical curandero & a visionary. He had a gift that could see the most powerful creative parts of us. Parts that we were still too afraid to look at. He instinctively knew how to make us face the artistic beauty in ourselves. He showed how to grind our anxieties into melodic healing tonics & dance away the demons of poverty & play with all the wealth in our Souls. Horace Tapscott was & is an alchemist & we (his proteges) are the product of his magic. Thank you Brothaman for keeping him alive.
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