Trap Dancer (1998)

About this title: Drummer Winard Harper leads a fine hard bop quintet on Trap Dancer, which consists of five standards and a variety of obscure originals, including one song apiece from Gary Bartz and Jimmy Heath. Trumpeter Patrick Rickman, tenor saxophonist J.D. Allen, and pianist George Cables take consistently worthwhile solos, and although there are a couple brief percussion pieces ("Oamara" and "Allahu Akbra"), Harper does not feature himself all that much except in support of the lead voices. Those two numbers have producer Cecil Brooks III added on drums and Harper, Rickman, and Allen all switching to ... read more

Tracks:

1. The Tap Dancer [Bartz]
2. Sound for Sore Ears [Heath]
3. Amorcita [Rickman]
4. You Don't Know What Love Is [DePaul/Raye]
5. Social Call [Gryce]
6. Work Song [Adderley/Brown/Adde]
7. Helen's Song [Cables]
8. Qamara [Harper]
9. How Deep Is the Ocean? [Berlin]
10. Skylark [Carmichael/Mercer]
11. Blues for Brown [Harper]
12. Key West [Brooks]
13. Shorty Long [Allen/Allen]
14. Allahu Akbar [Harper]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.