This compilation recorded during the 1973 Heidelberg Jazz Festival is a wide-ranging sampler with individual selections by six different groups. Fusion guitarist
Volker Kriegel's group Spectrum offers his brisk, somewhat funky "Lastic People." Pianist
Fritz Pauer (one of
Art Farmer's favorite accompanists) leads a trio with bassist
Jimmy Woode and drummer Erich Bachträgl through
Woode's intense "Don't Move." Brilliant guitarist
Attila Zoller's "Boara Sbar" starts subtly but abruptly switches into a brash fusion setting. Guitarist
Toto Blanke's meandering "Spider," featuring Association P.C. with guest
Jeremy Steig on flute, has the feeling of free improvisation. Tenor saxophonist Bobby Jones, part of the group Summit, composed the unpredictable hard bop number "Don't Stop Now," which also has some fine playing by trumpeter
Dusko Goykovich and pianist
Horace Parlan. To complete the album, traditional jazz veteran
Turk Murphy's spirited rendition of "Dr. Jazz" ends this unusual anthology on a bright note. ~ Ken Dryden