One of the first albums ever from this legendary British creative force in jazz – heard here at a time when the group was a quintet – with the mighty drummer John Stevens at the lead – alongside mindblowingly fresh performances from Evan Parker on soprano sax, Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, Derek Bailey on guitar, and Dave Holland on bass! The players are so new to the scene that Bailey is actually billed as "Dennis" on the back of the original album cover, and Kenny is listed as "Wheel" – but they all play here with the confidence and vision that would soon make them giants – and key players who'd show the world that the UK scene was every bit as free-thinking as those in the US and Europe. The album features one long improvisation – and Bailey is especially wonderful in the setting – making these ringing notes that scatter and skitter alongside Parker's beautiful soprano work – egged on by Steven's to move freely over the drum kit. (Jazz, Out Sound) CD