Of the nine Jaki Byard CDs in the OJC catalog, Sunshine of My Soul is the freest. In the case of the astounding "Trendsition Zildjian" the freedom is absolute because Byard, Elvin Jones, and David Izenzon played it without guideposts for melody, harmony, or rhythm and created a masterpiece of free jazz. Boldness and exhilaration also characterize the other music on the album, even the traditional "St. Louis Blues." Byard was one of the most disciplined and one of the least inhibited of all jazz improvisers. Jones, John Coltrane's drummer, and Izenzon, Ornette Coleman's bassist, matched Byard's virtuosity and his willingness to go out on a limb. "Chandra" and "Diane's Melody" are pieces that Byard wrote in the early 1950s, but in these unrestrained performances they didn't sound dated in 1968 and will no doubt be fresh in 2068.

with David Izenzon, Elvin Jones

Recorded in New York City; October 31, 1967.