Tarbaby turns out to be a joint venture by Orrin Evans, Eric Revis and Nasheet Waits. Evans on record has always been a little different to all the other pianists around (though the only time I ever saw him live, he sounded relatively conventional!) There's always been some Monk there, but with some very personal energy and harmonic quirkiness added, which makes you sit up and listen. Oak-solid bassist Revis, of course, is the anchor of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, while Waits is involved in many varied creative projects, including his own. This is a strange band. There's an earlier CD (on Omani Records), which I desperately want to hear, featuring JD Allen and another exciting youngish tenorman named Stacy Dillard (who is officially a fourth Tarbaby member, but absent here). But The End of Fear is more of an avant garde outing, not surprising with Oliver Lake involved, but, surprisingly out-of-character for Nicholas Payton. Actually, he plays very convincingly on his tracks like ‘Heads’, ‘Tails’ and ‘Sailin' On’ and, on the whole, they're excitingly successful. There's a very Monkish track (‘Brews’) and, in the midst of the free tunes, a basic straight ballad reading by JD (his only feature) of Fats Waller’ ‘Lonesome Me’. It's beautifully and emotionally played, but does sound somewhat incongruous amidst the other tunes. After a seven-minute free form exploration of an Andrew Hill composition (‘Tough Love’), the album ends in total contrast with one of the most peaceful tracks you've ever heard featuring just Evans, Revis and Waits – Paul Motian's ‘Abacus’. A strange, but intriguing, eclectic brew.