“Nimbus Records was started in 1978 after listening to some tapes I had bought from Horace Tapscott, revealing what a major artist he was. The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra was recorded twice in the studio and eleven times in a church in south central Los Angeles. At the time I was pretty sure no large labels were interested in him because they were busy pushing a lot of silly, jerky music, besides, Horace had to be approached (in a sane society that’s the way it should be!).

Anyway, I then began recording smaller groups of people in the “Ark” or around Horace. My policy with all of the recordings I’ve done was to do nothing except put up the money. The musicians had total liberty to do what they wanted, and what I’m especially proud of is that time was never mentioned (time limits are very inhibiting).

Anyway, in the early 80’s I began recording Tapscott solo. I fell so completely under his spell that over the course of 3 years I recorded him 13 times (25-30 hours). Only 6 hours is on the market so as the rocking chair years approach I have the task of putting out 15 or 20 hours of Tapscott solo piano. With his love of the waltz and expansion of folk themes, I consider him America’s Prokofiev.

I’ll close with a quote from bassist John Clayton,

“I spend my time with art - life seems better that way”

TOM ALBACH, 1986