Recorded in 1964 immediately after leaving the , ' is one of the more auspicious debuts the label released in the mid-'60s. was a seasoned session player (his excellent work on 's is a case in point), and a former member of before he went out with . By the time of his debut, had been deep under the influence of and , but wasn't willing to give up the . Hence the sound on is that of an artist at once self-assured and in transition. Using a rhythm section that included (whose he had guested on), pianist , and bassist took the of his roots and poured them through the collander. The title, opening track is a case in point. opens with an angular figure that is quickly translated by the band into sweeping, bopping . is lightning quick and his phrasing touches upon , and , but his embouchure is his own. He strikes the balance and then takes off on both sides of the aisle. 's builds in minor key, rhythmic figures just behind the tenor. sounds, initially anyway, like it might have come out of the book so deep is its blue root. But courtesy of goes to the left after only four choruses, moving onto the ledge a bit at a time, running knotty through the center of the melody and increasingly bending his notes into succeeding intervals while shifting keys and times signatures, but he never goes completely over the ledge. The most difficult cut on the date is showcases a -like figure introducing the melody. Eight bars in, the syncopation of the rhythm sections begins to stutter step around the time, as makes harmonic adjustments with dense chords for to play off. This is a highly recommended date. Other than on 1965's never played quite like this again. ~ Thom Jurek