Very cool stuff – and a very strange record for Gary McFarland! The album features tracks that are a lot more vocal-oriented than his earlier work – but the same great sense of wild arrangements and strange subtle genius is still firmly in place. McFarland, as much as any idiosyncratic song craftsman of the era , had an expert way of layering intricate instrumentation in a way that was always loose and in service of the vocals. This record is a fine example that talent, and a lovingly groovy and strange batch of tunes, too! Vocals are handled mostly by Peter Smith, but McFarland also joins in on a number of tracks. True genius pop – on a par with the best 60s Nilsson albums, or some particularly great moments from Spanky & Our Gang. Titles include "Poor Daniel", "Dance With Me", "Straight Arrow", "Salvation Army Rags", "Rain On The Ocean" and "All My Better Days". CD

A really incredible performance from Ornette Coleman – recorded in Italy in 1968, and featuring a unique lineup that includes Ed Blackwell on drums, plus the dual basses of Charlie Haden and David Izenzon! The two-bass lineup gives the set an amazingly tight edge – with one player bowing the instrument, and the other playing rhythm – in a way that bounces magically over the drums of Ed Blackwell, making for a rhythmic spirit that's missing from a lot of Ornette's other work from the time! There's still a sense of sound texture and exploration here that matches some of the Blue Note late 60s recordings – but the overall feel is a bit more focused, and (dare we say it?) more rhythmically swinging! Titles include long takes on "Lonely Woman", "Monsieur Le Prince", "Forgotten Children", "Tutti", "Three Wisemen & The Saint", "New York", and "Buddah Blues". CD