The single most striking difference between Fred Hess' latest recording and all of his earlier efforts is the relaxed and joyful feel of the music contained herein. Tyranny to form, an element of Hess' recordings that has caught too much of my attention in the past, is gone, amended by said relaxation and joy. This unassuming release documents a substantial step forward in the realization, if not the compositional understanding of Hess' music by other players. He has chosen an outstanding and simpatico group of musicians to share in his musical vision, and that is a big part of the overall genius of this music. Each participant brings a lot to the table.