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| A startlingly original departure from the trademark soul-jazz sound of Herbie Mann, this spacious and atmospheric 1970 recording flows within the vein of Miles Davis' Bitches Brew-era explorations. Throughout the record, Mann's flute floats in and out over sparse string arrangements, a light and airy gust of psychedelic bliss. The album opens with the exotic Eastern sounds of "In Tangier," arranged with unmistakable references to the original version recorded by 60s pop-icon Donovan on Hurdy Gurdy Man. Violins, viola and cello are all used to create a feeling of sailing through the celestial ether in a stoned state of mind. The second track is a rare cover of "Flying," the spaced-out Beatles instrumental from The Magical Mystery Tour, which Mann manages to recreate with an even more hallucinatory vibe. "Miss Free Spirit" is a strongly avant-garde affair, held together by Miroslav Vitous (soon to join Weather Report), who keeps things grooving along with just the right amount of restraint. Vibraphonist Roy Ayers showcases his bold imagination and technical prowess as a forward-thinking jazz player, a talent that would soon be suppressed as his commercial funk persona took over in the 70s. A major highlight is guitarist Sonny Sharrock's solo on "Miss Free Spirit," which makes a strong case for why Miles Davis recruited him to play (albeit uncredited) later that year on the epic Jack Johnson soundtrack. This is a totally unique Herbie Mann record, a must for fans of late 60s and early 70s fusion experiments of the highest caliber. ---John Ballon (email)
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