by Frank Morgan - The Herald, July 5, 1994
The old cliché about a musician bursting onto the scene was never more appropriate than for Thomas Chapin's debut UK appearance on Sunday.
If this is what he and his band can produce at 3:30 in the afternoon, having just flown in from New York, tired and jet-lagged, it is scary to think what they must sound like when they are in fine fettle.
Here is a man bursting with talent and musical ideas and they cascade out almost as fast as the lightning runs he lays. Not since Benny Wallace came over 10 years ago, fooling us all with his gentle manner, then musically bashing us over the head with the power and strength of his playing, have we heard such majesty on a first British concert.
Chapin uses his alto and sopranino saxes and flute brilliantly in conventional playing styles, but also regards them as tools to achieve as many different tonal textures as possible – at one stage he even produced a muted trumpet sound.
Drummer Michael Sarin and bassist Mario Pavone laid down a driving rhythmic platform for Chapin, who obviously enjoys the freedom such a pared down band gives him. A chordal instrument like a piano would simply have fettered Chapin's immense virtuosity.
On his main instrument, the alto, he has a marvellous tone and on the uptempo pieces had parts of the audience gasping with his audacity and sheer dexterity. There were not that many people along to see this trio this time – if there is any justice, the venue should be packed to hear a player who, at times, verges on genius.
Reprinted with permission from The Herald - Glasgow, Scotland"