Clarinetist
John Carter and cornetist
Bobby Bradford teamed up many times during a 25-year period. Nearly all of their joint recordings were issued under
Carter's name, but this CD is an exception.
Carter's often intense flights on clarinet served as a contrast to
Bradford's mellower sound. What is unusual about this set, which also includes bassist
Richard Davis and drummer
Andrew Cyrille, is the participation of pianist
Don Preston, who often doubles on synthesizer. His synth adds some otherworldly sounds on several of the selections (such as "Encounter") and takes some getting used to.
Bradford contributed two of the pieces, while
Carter brought in three, including "Sunday Afternoon Jazz Society Blues." The music is advanced, but not as forbidding as it sometimes was from
Carter and
Bradford, making this one of their more accessible releases.
–
Scott Yanow, Rovi