No offense to piano player Armen Donelian, but this live 1992 recording at New York's Visiones club, featuring the late alto saxophonist Thomas Chapin, might have�been forgotten in Donelian's vaults, unless Donelian�contacted guitarist Michael Musillami, who runs the Playscape label, and had Playscape not already released a disc by bassist Mario Pavone, who had played with Chapin.

Donelian met Chapin in 1988 through Ara Dinkijian, leader of the band Night Ark (with whom Donelian had played) and one a classmate of Chapin's at the Hartt Conservatory.�Donelian played in some of Chapin's early bands, but apparently none of them were recorded until this recording, a quartet with bass player Calvin Hill and drummer Jeff Williams. In true Chapin fashion, all the pieces on the recording are presented exactly as they were�performed, with no overdubbing and no post-production.

The five tracks, all composed by Donelian and all more than ten minutes long, leave Chapin enough space to stretch out, and for the most part Donelian seems to have chosen to support Chapin other than pursue solos, though Donelian's well-written compositions are the solid basis for Chapin's powerful tour-de-force, revealing again and again his creativity,�musical imagination and great spirit.

The first piece, "Jabberwackey," alternates between an asymmetric 7/4 meter and the more conventional 4/4.�Donelian's�angular piano lines suggest a Monkish or even Middle-Eastern influence while Chapin takes it into a funkier realm. The second piece, "The Germ," also uses changing meters and features�inspiring duets�between Chapin and Williams, followed by a boppish solo by Donelian. "Mexico" is�a lyrical bolero that keeps the�fire down, featuring a beautiful, gentle solo by Chapin following a beautiful opening by Donelian. "Loose as a Goose" gives every player an opportunity to rip-roar through the theme, Chapin demonstrating his excellent circular breathing. The final piece, "Brood Mood," is a collective slow improvisation that climaxes with another memorable Chapin solo.

It's quite a shame that we had to wait eleven years for this recording to be released, and then only because of Chapin's presence. With luck we will have more opportunities to hear Donelian alongside such strong characters as Chapin, and to hear more of Chapin's live concerts, especially with his regular trio�with bass player Mario Pavone and Drummer Michael Sarin.