One album. One statement. One of the great mysteries of the Nimbus West catalog. Born Arthur Wells, the alto saxophonist and flautist who became Dadisi Komolafe studied under Horace Tapscott at the Cross Roads Art Academy, the educational arm of UGMAA. He appeared on numerous Nimbus sessions throughout the late seventies and early eighties, a reliable presence in the extended family. But Hassan's Walk, recorded in Los Angeles in October 1983, remains his sole document as leader - and what a document it is.

The fifteen-minute title track opens with Rickey Kelly's shimmering vibraphone before Komolafe enters on alto, spinning post-Coltrane lines with a tone that cuts like glass. Eric Tillman contributes a magnificent piano solo, while the twin engine of Roberto Miranda on bass and Sonship Theus on drums locks into a groove that refuses to quit. Wayne Shorter's "Speak No Evil" gets a flute-driven reading powered by Theus's effervescent percussion. The traditional "Calvary" builds to an almost unbearable crescendo, Komolafe's horn screaming for air before finding respite in Kelly's luminous vibes. Thelonious Monk's "'Round Midnight" closes the set with unexpected tenderness.

This is spiritual jazz at its finest - fierce but fun, free yet focused. A synthesis of Leimert Park drumming circles and post-A Love Supreme searching, filtered through the Reagan era's gathering darkness. The rhythm section displays the balance between sensitivity and aggression that defined the best Nimbus dates.

Why only one album? Where did Komolafe go? The questions remain unanswered. But Hassan's Walk stands as proof that sometimes a single statement is enough. A jewel in a crown already replete with gems.