Eleventh-Hour Shine On represents
Universal Congress Of's most serious jazz excursion; in fact, almost no traces of the group's garage origins remain. Despite the inclusion of material by
Ornette Coleman and
John Coltrane, the music here is less free-form than on earlier Congress records; founders Joe Baiza and Steve Moss both opt for clean, focused sounds. Not gone, however, is the group's sense of humor, which keeps the album well outside of the traditional jazz realm. ~ Jason Ankeny