Such Great Friends (Various Artists)

A lost bit of late Strata East - and an all-star session that never let's up! The album's a quartet effort - led by Stanley Cowell, but equally featuring participation from Billy Harper on tenor, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. The overall feel is a lot like Harper's own work from the time - particularly his late 70s Japanese sessions - driven strongly by Cowell's modal approach to the groove, a sound that's perfectly executed by the team of Workman and Hart. The tracks are all quite long, spinning out with a freely expressive approach.