Sixty years of black history in sound. This is the grand achievement and mission statement of Horace Tapscott’s Pan Afrikan People’s Arkestra. For those unfamiliar with the ensemble that was founded in Los Angeles in 1961 this excellent double album compilation provides a vital overview of the glorious music made by its large pool of players over the years. And the gift for aficionados is that all the material is previously unreleased. A cynic might be minded to think, given the lionization of Tapscott of late, that the tracks are curios served up for adoring fans, but that is anything but the case. Every one of the six epic songs is a masterpiece of socially conscious music. Tapscott, an elegant and powerful post-Monk player, was a fine composer and his deployment of ¾ time, modes, gospel melodies and African rhythms created a vivid sonic landscape for explicit messages against oppression and for equality. Given that these artists were once under F.B.I surveillance it is no surprise that there is a real edge to the performances. Soloists such as Arthur Blythe and Phil Ranelin make their mark but the vocalists, Linda Hill and Dwight Trible are quite stunning. ‘Nation Rising’, for its spiritual-political uplift, is worth the whole set.