Spirits Alike

by The Leaders

Overview

In the late 1980s and early '90s, the Leaders was a part-time all-star group consisting of trumpeter Lester Bowie, tenor saxophonist Chico Freeman, altoist Arthur Blythe, pianist Kirk Lightsey, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Don Moye. The new Leaders only retains Freeman and McBee, with trumpeter Eddie Henderson succeeding the late Bowie and altoist Bobby Watson, the lesser-known but talented pianist Fred Harris and drummer Billy Hart taking the places of Blythe, Lightsey and Moye. While Bowie in particular is missed, Eddie Henderson does a good job of filling in, and the new Leaders are of the same high quality as the original group. The music, all originals from bandmembers, ranges from advanced hard bop to hints of the avant-garde, from bluesy material to a pair of duets by Freeman and McBee. Watson and Freeman in particular consistently take solo honors although all of the musicians fare well. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow

Product Details

Release Date:	03/13/2007
Label:	Challenge Records
UPC:	0608917106022
Rank:	158569

Tracks

1. Deep Pockets
2. Evolution
3. Spirits Alike
4. Consequence
5. The Ascended One
6. Remembering Bob C Vol. 1
7. Lullaby For Imka
8. Lady Bugg
9. Alas Poor John
10. Remembering Bob C Vol. 2

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Leaders   Primary Artist
Chico Freeman   Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano)
Bobby Ray Watson   Sax (Alto)
Fred Harris   Piano
Cecil McBee   Bass
Eddie Henderson   Trumpet

Technical Credits

Robert Bond   Composer
Chico Freeman   Composer,Producer
Fred Harris   Composer
Manfred Knoop   Engineer
Cecil McBee   Composer
Tom Swift   Mixing
Reinhard Kobialka   Mastering
Jan Pulsford   Composer