Michael Gregory Jackson's first recording as a leader is a vivid reminder of how melodically charged his music is from a more subtle perspective. With Jackson primarily on acoustic guitar, the memorable melody lines he stretches to full Zen-like lengths are perfectly clear, yet evoke his individualism with little doubt.

Help from tenor saxophonist David Murray, flutist and saxophonist Oliver Lake, and trumpeter Leo Smith support Jackson's agile and facile musings without use of a bassist or drummer, a bold move considering the standard procedures of most free jazz ensembles. Not that those brazen post-John Coltrane groups ignore beauty; it's just manifested differently on this gorgeous set of spontaneous and composed pieces that have a breadth and depth all their own.

Undiscovered Free Jazz gem and well worth further investigation.