Enter The Numero Group,
a reissuer of off-trail or no-trail audio artifacts (one of their series is
called “Eccentric Soul”―enough said) that somehow found out about Spirit Free and put
out this album on CD. I found out about it in the course of my habitual lurking
on the Cranky Old Guys jazz bulletin board. Based on an enthusiastic
recommendation there, I check the band out on YouTube and took a flyer on the whole
thing. It’s great stuff. Davis is a hard-charging late Coltrane-inspired stylist,
abetted by some fine, spacy Fender Rhodes keyboarding by Feuer and strong rhythmic
support from Savino and Hernandez. Highlights include two versions of the title
composition, Feuer’s Dear Latin Friend,
and a wigged-out Starship, but the
whole CD is strong, indeed. This recording is an object lesson in the vast
amount of excellent music generated locally but, for a whole host of reasons, unable
to break out to a wider audience. We owe thanks to the musicians, and
to the Numero Group for putting this fine music out for a new audience to appreciate. It
makes me want to explore the Numero catalog in more detail!
Here are Starship and Guardian Angel (only a few selections are available on YouTube).
Starship, short version:
Guardian Angel:
