Bennie Maupin – Moonscapes
A really great solo set from the great Bennie Maupin – part of an excellent run of records as a leader, cut during the stretch when he was riding to great fame with The Headhunters! The vibe here is deeper and more spiritual than his work with that group — still somewhat influenced by the Herbie Hancock electric years – with loads of wonderful keyboards from Bobby Lyle – but also stretched out with these spacious solos from Bennie on soprano, tenor, bass clarinet, and flute! Maupin also throws in a bit of electronics, too – as does the mighty Pat Gleeson, who produced the record, and also adds in some great keyboard work to give the whole thing a spacey edge that really lives up to the title and cover. Titles include “Nightwatch”, “Sansho Shima”, “Anua”, and “Just Give It Some Time” (Dusty Groove).
