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Recorded
between 1967-68 at Vanguard Apostolic Studios in NYC. This was the
time of the cult Jazz-Rock band 'The Free Spirits' with Larry Coryell,
Jim Pepper, Chris Hills, Columbus Baker and Bob
Moses. Moses was 19 years old and this (Love Animal) was supposed
to be his first solo album. All this material previously unreleased
except track 3. These young musicians were experimenting with powerful
drugs and listening passionately to B.B. King, Robert Johnson, Marvin
Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, the Beatles,
the Stones, Bob Dylan, The Band, Mongo Santamaria, Eddie Palmieri,
Ray Baretto, Coltrane, Miles, Mingus, Monk, Bill Evans, Albert Ayler,
Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, and many more.
Moses
says "The music on Love Animal is raw, messy, over the top
and mad eclectic but that was the truth of our lives at that time
and tho we jumped musical styles like manic kangeroos, I can honestly
say we also routinely pushed and expanded the boundaries of those
territories to the limit. I.E. we never played any style in a stock,
typical or lackadaisical way.
And
there are some great musical moments here, Keith Jarrett's profoundly
beautiful solo on "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", Steve Swallow's
rich tone and across-the-bar phrasing on acoustic bass, Coryell's
blistering other worldly guitar playing on "Dancing Bears"
and for me most of all another chance to hear the great Native American
saxophonist Jim Pepper who I believe is one of the most powerful,
unique, soulful and under appreciated voices in the history of the
music."
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