Michael J. Smith was (and stays) a fairly unknown piano
player to me, to say the least. I picked up this copy
years ago from the sales section (notice the hole in the
bottom left corner meaning the record was selected for
fast and cheap selling) and was pleasantly surprised. Yes
I bought the record because of Jonas Hellborg who I knew
from a Mahavishnu incarnation.
Third man in the party is Santana sticks
man Michael Shrieve (remember Woodstock). I read an
interview with Shrieve once looking back at that recording
session. Smith picking up Shrieve at the airport
accompanied by a timide young man who turned out to be the
bass player for the recording. Little did Shrieve know
what a bass player Hellborg would turn out to be.
Side A is a melodic fusion explosion with a fierce take no
prisoners approach, side B starts of with a drum evocation
by Shrieve, followed by a more free, improvised kind of
playing.
Relativity Records, TR 8101
Recorded in Stockholm,
May, 1983
A side:
- So let it spring
- The seventh way
- All our steps...
- Jonas
B side:
- Neap tide
- Sense
- The virgin bride
