The free or avant-garde jazz era was at its creative peak in 1965. This six-track anthology contains intriguing performances from primary and secondary artists, blending remastered versions of original numbers with two cuts first issued on the LP The New Breed. The
John Coltrane Quartet's "Nature Boy" shows
Coltrane at the edge on tenor. Tenor saxophonist
Archie Shepp was presented in volcanic, explosive fashion on "Hambone." Trumpeter
Charles Tolliver led an unorthodox lineup on "Brilliant Corners" and "Plight";
Bobby Hutcherson's intricate lines and deft solos alleviated the absence of a keyboard. Trombonist Grachan Moncur III, among the era's finest soloists, fronts a quartet on the final two pieces. As the sole horn,
Moncur sustains rhythmic and harmonic tension and sets the stage for
Bobby Hutcherson's equally energetic, dynamic solos. ~ Ron Wynn