A powerful and exciting album from the great British horn- player John Surman who surrounds himself with an all-star cast. With emphasis on strong playing and group interaction, this is a real jazz album (Surmans first for ECM) recorded at New York's Avatar Studios. Surman is at his best on both soprano and baritone saxophones, and the group is deeply anchored in a shared musical experience. Soulful ballads, hard driving up-tempo tunes and fiery improvisations are all to be found here.