Massively unlikely unearthing of a previously unreleased live radio broadcast from legendary free jazz saxophonist Charles Tyler in a hand-numbered edition of only 99 copies: Tyler is a comparatively unsung player compared to the better known free music titans but his was a fascinating career, playing alongside Albert Ayler on Bells and Spirits Rejoice, cutting a hands-down classic run of private LPs – Eastern Man Alone on ESP Disk, Voyage From Jericho and Live In Europe, 1978’s Saga Of The Outlaws – while running one of the premier underground jazz labels, Ak-Ba, the imprint that’s best known for releasing Arthur Doyle’s scalding debut, Alabama Feeling. So this is just so much gravy, a killer live set on arguably the most important jazz radio station of the age, with one of the truly great small groups of the era, featuring Earl Cross on trumpet, Ken Hudson on bass and Steve Reid on drums. Tyler is on lucid form, caught here a mere month after the recording of Voyage From Jericho, and he beautifully reconciles the high, testifying style and the passion of the more devotional post-Coltrane testimonials with a bouncing, freebop feel that gives the nod to thinkers like Marion Brown while playing in a loose-limbed style that is supremely powerful. Earl Cross is one of the great brass blasters in the tradition of Donald Ayler et al, probably best loved for his raucous playing on Noah Howard’s epochal Black Ark, and he’s on phenomenal form here, directing great rainbows of tone into Tyler’s unstoppable trajectories. But it’s Steve Reid that’s perhaps most remarkable, playing in a subtle constantly shifting spacious/scattershot style that is uniquely levitating. A beautiful private press LP w/classy paste-on sleeves, won’t stick around for long. Very highly recommended! (Volcanic Tongue)