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Reviews
| The paucity of live recordings by the saxophonist makes this music all
the more priceless. |
| — Derek Taylor, Cadence |
| Top 10 of 2006 list |
| — Nate Dorward, Coda |
| By 1995, when his band performed in front of an enthusiastic North Sea JazzFestival crowd, Chapin's core trio (completed by bassist Mario Pavone anddrummer Michael Sarin) was at the height of its power. Ride documents Chapin's wit, openness and warmth as reflected back by Pavone and Sarin whorespond with emotional playing and virtuosic excellence. You get the sensethat had Chapin lived, things would be different for everyone touched bythis spiritually expansive artist. |
| — Jeff Stockton, AllAboutJazz-New York |
| Best of 2006 List |
| — Derek Taylor, AllAboutJazz.com |
| Top 3 Reissues/Historical Releases of 2006 List |
| — AllAboutJazz.com Contributors' Poll |
| ...one of the most impressive items in his discography. The opening 17-minute blast through "Anima" (the title track of his debut album) starts things at an impossibly high level: Chapin's unaccompanied alto introduction pays homage to Dolphy's "Tenderly" while pushing it to paint-peeling extremes, and once the tune's pummelling 7/4 groove kicks in he launches into a solo that's at once flawlessly constructed and
yet nearly apocalyctic. Classic Chapin tunes like "Bad Birdie" and "Night Bird Song" receive focused and intense readings rivalling the original versions, and the disc also turns up two previsouly unknown items: the devastating "Pet Scorpion," and a thoroughly unexpected zoom through The Beatles' "Ticket to Ride." |
| — Nate Dorward, Coda |
| Best of 2006 list |
| — Nils Jacobson, AllAboutJazz.com |
| Top 10 Recordings of 2006 List |
| — Jerry D'Souza, |
| Top 10 CDs of 2006 List |
| — Fred Grand, Jazz Review |
| Top 10 CDs of 2006 List |
| — Brain Morton, Jazz Review |
| Top 10 for 2006 list |
| — Maurice Hogue, CKUW-FM |
| Top 10 for 2006 list |
| — Bob Rogers, WSHA-FM |
| Top Unearthed Gems of 2006 List |
| — Laurence Donohue-Greene, AllAboutJazz-New York |
| His post-McLean alto scythes through the music, the duo of Pavone and Sarin completing a most elastic unit, capable of going in any direction at the drop of a hat whilst always remaining on the same page. Pavone describes Chapin's writing style as "big band music for trio", and the
range of sounds and colours, not to mention the complexity of his scores, are testament to this. Essential listening. |
| — Fred Grand, Jazz Review (UK) |
| ...for a taste of Chapin the live force, the newly released Ride (Playscape) from the 1995 North Sea Festival is highly recommended. |
| — Donald Elfman, AllAboutJazz-New York |
| Chapin is in top form, whether on searing alto, acidic sopranino, or flute overdrive where he channels the energy of Roland Kirk while ading his own muscular attack on the instrument. The three are always in lock step with the quirky time changes and snaking melodies and either drums or bass can flip to the front line to drive the music off in a new direction. This should serve to give Chapin's music some well deserved visibility and is a reminder as to what an exhilirating force he was. |
| — Michael Rosenstein, Signal to Noise |
| It's both a sad and happy experience—sad because I'm reminded of our loss, happy because we have a fresh example of this outrageously inventive, spirited musican at his exhilirating best. Everything that made Chapin great is here: the hard-as-a-diamond sense of swing and relentless drive; his melodic inegenuity and ear for tonal color. Ride is a priceless testament to his brilliance. |
| — Chris Kelsey, JazzTimes |
| Recommended New Release (August 2006) |
| — Laurence Donohue-Greene, AllAboutJazz-New York |
| ...a timely reminder to those of us who might have forgotten what a monstrously good saxophonist and flautist Chapin was. Whether negotiating the tight, funky curves of "Anima" or out-Rahsaaning Roland Kirk on flute on "Aeolus", or just blowing wild and free, Chapin was an exceptional musician who combined razor-sharp musical intelligence with outstanding technique, and it's quite simply thrilling to hear him again in full flight with such a superb rhythm section behind him all the way. |
| — Dan Warburton, ParisTransatlantic.com |
| Ride gives a solid portrait of what the Trio sounded like. |
| — Richard Kamins, Hartford Courant |
| In the summer of 1995 Chapin's acclaimed trio with Mario Pavone on bass and Michael Sarin on drums were in their prime and this CD called Ride, recorded at the North Sea Jazz Festival, really captures it all...I think this album is incredibly vibrant and really is a great testament to his work. |
| — Jez Nelson, Jazz on 3 (BBC Radio 3) |
| This 1995 North Sea Jazz Festival set with bassist Mario Pavone and drummer Michael Sarin is an excellent example of how Chapin distilled the blues and roots of Mingus, the spirit-talk of Rahsaan and the expansiveness of John Handy’s breakthrough quintet into his music. Throughout the set, the interplay between Chapin, Pavone and Sarin is at its inspired best. |
| — Bill Shoemaker, PointofDeparture.org |
| Recommended New Release (July 2006) |
| — Bruce Gallanter, AllAboutJazz-New York |
| ...a 72-minute recording of a 1995 North Sea Jazz Festival performance of near-constant, broiling and searing emotional heat. It's magnificent, monumental and practically unprecedented. The relevance of Kirk's fervent intensity to Chapin's music is perhaps even more obvious, made explicit by Chapin's moaning, voodoo flute cries...but I can't remember him ever playing flute as wild as Chapin does on "Aeolus" here. |
| — Chris May, AllAboutJazz.com |
| Ride is 100 percent action and energy, a truly life-affirming experience. |
| — Dan Warburton, All Music Guide |
| I have to concur with the comments that this concert must have been one of the most spectacular displays of blowing to grace the North Sea or any other festival. 2005 brought us the lost Carnegie Hall concert of the Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane – 2006 brings us the Thomas Chapin Trio at the North Sea Jazz Festival. |
| — Dennis Diener, WNHU-FM |
| This is a TERRIFIC record! Chapin is something else. Great trio. Definitely a best of 2006 recording. |
| — Maurice Hogue, CKUW-FM |
| Hearing him weave through these pieces, spinning minor melodic variations over and over again, reinforces his stature as one of the past century's master improvisers. Ride is overflowing with some of Chapin's finest playing on record. It's an excellent entry point for novices to discover one of the best jazz trios of the late 20th Century. |
| — Troy Collins, AllAboutJazz.com |
| This trio had so many strong facets to their distinctive sound and this amazing long, live set captures each one perfectly. Thomas' spirit and energy is unstoppable, he pushes his trio harder and higher as he soars, burning intensely as they reach for the stars. Contrabass giant and bandleader, Mario Pavone, is also in amazing shape, digging in,swinging hard, holding down the bottom end and taking a number of inspired solos. Michael also plays a number of powerful and spirited solos as well...a truly a joyous "ride", from the beginning to the very end. |
| — Bruce Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery |
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[PSR#071595]