by Scott Yanow
Bassist Johnny Dyani's final recording as a leader (he died a year later at the age of 40) matches his warm sound with trumpeter
Harry Beckett
John Tchicai
(doubling on tenor and bass clarinet) and drummer
Billy Hart
on six of his melodic yet explorative originals. Dyani's atmospheric and colorful music was long underrated but, like that of
Abdullah Ibrahim
(a fellow expatriate from South Africa), Johnny Dyani was a major composer whose flights were tempered by a strong emphasis on fresh melodies. Stimulating music.
