During their most commercially successful years, Heatwave were a band that crossed many borders, laying claim to such international hits as Boogie Nights, Too Hot To Handle, The Groove Line, Eyballin’, and Always And Forever, all having a huge impact on both sides of the Atlantic. Heatwave’s fourth album, Candles, saw Johnnie Wilder Jr take on the producers role alongside James Guthrie, best known for his work with Pink Floyd, returning to work with Heatwave since serving as an engineer on both Too Hot To Handle and Central Heating.
The first of drummer Max Roach's two duet sets with multireedist Anthony Braxton consists of seven fairly free improvisations that they created in the studio. Each of the selections (particularly "Birth" which builds gradually in intensity to a ferocious level, the waltz time of "Magic and Music," the atmospheric "Tropical Forest" and "Softshoe") have their own plot and purpose. Braxton (who performs on alto, soprano, sopranino and clarinet) and Roach continually inspire each other, which is probably why they would record a second set the following year. Stimulating avant-garde music.