The music on this 2 disc recording is claimed to have been recorded in a single day in one studio room without headphones, making this mix of sounds all the more impressive. Drummer Billy Mintz wrote the material for the free thinking band of John Gross/ts, Tony Malaby/ts-ss, Roberta Piket/key-p Hilliard Greene/b and the leader, and the combination of coherence, cohesion and intuition makes this a rare treat.
The two saxes coalesce like sorghum molasses on pieces like “Angels” “Relent” and “Dirge” but the know when to go their own ways as well as Malaby goes free form post bop on “Dit” and gts hi pitched on “Love and Beauty” while some Coltranesque solos are felt on the modal title track along with Piket’s full handed piano work. Piket’s choice of instruments is impressive here, as she makes the keyboard get bluesy on “Tumba” and grooves on the B3 during “Cannonball” and the dirge-like “Retribution .” Through it all, the leader guides, shapes and nudges the tunes in various directions, keeping the music moving forward and accessible. True freedom within form is created on this rich left of center collection of joy.