Charles Tolliver:

‘Truth’

(Charles Tolliver, trumpet; Stanley Cowell, piano; Clint Houston, bass; Clifford Barbaro, drums)

Live In Tokyo, Charles Tolliver/Music Inc, 1973

IC: Well, I didn't get that one!

TC: Charles Tolliver.

IC: Life is very unfair, you know, because Charles Tolliver is a very good player, a very good player indeed, but for some reason, he's not very easily distinguishable from other people. When I used to listen to him in the '60s - quite a long time ago - he always seemed to me to be in the Freddie Hubbard vein, or even Woody Shaw, but he didn't seem to have the individuality which really marks you out from the crowd. But he always seemed to be a very good player, excellent technically, and would play great things. So I haven't heard of him, he's been off the scene for years... but lots of people are off the scene - not forgetting yours truly! - and in a sense, they're probably playing just as well or better than they ever did play. But everybody can't be on the scene all the time, there's just not enough room, there are too many people clamouring for attention. But it was great to hear Charles Tolliver again; he played extremely nicely, and I liked it a lot...