Eddie Harris had sung through his horn prior to this release, but not to such a great extent as on this wide-ranging LP. Here he tries to shape words through the filters of a reed mouthpiece, a slightly noisy wah-wah pedal and electronic amplification, and the results are genuinely expressive despite the aura of gimmickry. Indeed "Please Let Me Go," thanks to
Harris' pleading sax vocal and
Richard Evans' string drapery, deliberately and hauntingly evokes
Billie Holiday's orchestral sessions from the 1950s. In the category of funk, "Ten Minutes to Four" is almost a reworking of "1974 Blues" in the exotic 10/4 meter and, "Walk with Me" could have been a minor hit single with its catchy tune, wah-wah sax vocals and stentorian brass riffs. Finally, if for no other reason than ego (
Harris admitted so himself), he tackles "Giant Steps" at a galloping Latin beat, the scattershot solo with the freak high notes all in his own style. Another fascinating installment in
Harris' long Atlantic period. ~ Richard S. Ginell