Maupin's Floating World of Modal Color
A patient, exploratory record where reeds float over spacious arrangements and open-ended grooves.
Slow Traffic to the Right moves at its own pace. The tempos are moderate, sometimes almost still, and the arrangements leave room for the reeds to breathe—soprano and tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, flute—floating over electric piano, bass, and drums that establish texture rather than drive. It's a album that trusts silence and space as much as sound. The mood is contemplative without being somber, exploratory without restlessness.
This was Maupin's second album, coming after his debut, and it shows an artist deepening into his own voice rather than breaking new ground. The woodwind work is the constant anchor: Maupin's tone is warm and unhurried, more interested in color and phrasing than in speed or spectacle. The rhythm section supports this floating quality—nothing pushes, nothing insists. Instead, there's a sense of collective breathing, players listening closely to each other and responding in kind.
AllMusic reviewer gave it four stars, recognizing it as a solid, self-assured recording. For listeners coming to Maupin, this is worth hearing early in his catalog. It's not the place you'd start if you wanted to understand his later work in fusion and funk, but it's essential if you want to hear him as a pure improviser, thinking in modal space, making decisions quietly.
Who's playing
Paul Jacksonbass
Ralphe Armstrongbass
Onaje Allan Gumbspiano
DeWayne “Blackbyrd” McKnightelectric guitar
Craig Kilbytrombone
Patrick Gleesonsynthesizer
James Levidrums
