With such titles as
"The All Seeing Eye,"
"Genesis,"
"Chaos,"
"Face of the Deep,"
and
"Mephistopheles,"
it is clear from the start that the music on this LP is not basic bop and blues.
Wayne Shorter
(who composed four of the five originals) picked an all-star cast (trumpeter
Freddie Hubbard
, altoist
James Spaulding
, trombonist
Grachan Moncur III
, pianist
Herbie Hancock
, bassist
Ron Carter
, and drummer
Joe Chambers
, along with brother
Alan Shorter
on fluegelhorn for the final song) to perform and interpret the dramatic selections, and their brand of controlled freedom has plenty of subtle surprises. This is stimulating music that still sounds fresh. ~ Scott Yanow