After two successful trio sessions for Prestige's subsidiary New Jazz, the multi-talented Jaki Byard really opened up on his first album for the parent label. In addition to more style-spanning piano in a trio context, he presents quintet performances including his ambitious suite "European Episode" and a sample of his alto sax playing recorded at an earlier session that produced Here's Jaki (OJCCD-1874-2). Byard is assisted by the excellent rhythm team of Bob Cranshaw and Walter Perkins (who first made their mark in Chicago's MJT+3) and one of his favorite partners, tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin. This CD reissue retains David Himmelstein's extensive biographical liner essay, and adds two previously unreleased quintet performances.

with Richard Williams, Booker Ervin, Bob Cranshaw, Ron Carter, Walter Perkins, Roy Haynes