by Scott YanowPianist/composer Richard Abrams contributes all eight selections to this intriguing septet date. Such notables as trumpeter Eddie Allen, trombonist Craig Harris, and Aaron Stewart (on tenor and soprano) are featured on music that ranges from advanced hard bop (some of the grooves are quite straight-ahead) to some rather spacy explorations from Abrams' synthesizer. In addition, Richard Abrams is featured both as a speaker and a singer on the opening "Song for All." Bryan Carrott's vibes and Abrams' occasional synthesizer add an eerie feel to some of the ensembles and keep the complex yet often surprisingly accessible music from ever getting too predictable. Well worth several listens.