William Roper - Lost In The Sands (2025)

This album serves as a musical retrospective and a tribute to William Roper's forty-year collaboration with Horace Tapscott and the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra (ARK). Despite the absence of Tapscott and the orchestra on the recording itself, the project embodies their philosophy of openness, which allowed Roper, originally a classical musician, to integrate into the jazz tradition while maintaining his unique style. The album brings together compositions created across different periods and styles, reflecting the breadth of the artist's creative journey.

The tracklist includes "Wumpas," an archival live recording from 1992 exploring the sonic contrasts of wind instruments with Vinny Golia; "Bleu," an experimental reworking of Wagner's music that combines the sound of a Hammond organ with traditional Native American and African instruments to create a cross-cultural dialogue; and "Lost in the Sands," a free improvisation with young musician Devin Daniels, symbolizing the intergenerational connection within the ARK. The collection concludes with Joseph Mitchell's "Sweet Time is Precious," a deeply personal piece featuring spoken word elements, dedicated to the themes of breast cancer, mortality, and spirituality.



Tracklist:
1-1 William Roper - Wumpas [12:00]
1-2 William Roper - Bleu [8:06]
1-3 William Roper - Lost In The Sands [7:46]
1-4 William Roper - Sweet Time Is Precious [13:53]