Re-Releases

Recorded in 1989 and dedicated to his newly born daughter, this disc is the first time Guy, then 31 years old and a rising star, made a recording with a quintet of his own choice, adding Frank Ricotti as a guest on vibraphone. For a band that had never worked previously as a unit, the performances on this album, completed in just one and a half days, are quite remarkable for their cohesion, the relaxed compatibility of the musicians, and the range, technical resourcefulness, and emotional intensity of the solo work. This is an album of tremendous style and maturity for the young Guy Barker.

Click on the CD cover above for some sleeve note detail.

Always a strong and fertile player with a big tone when he recorded this session in 1991 Skidmore had already distilled the dramatic pyrotechnics of his earlier years, resulting in a style that is rich and expressive but in which technique is firmly under the thumb of shape and purpose. Coltrane fans will have no trouble in recognising the music on this album which is all drawn from the greatest days of the Coltrane Quartet between 1962 and 1965 when the band was hypnotising audiences all over the World. Of this Skidmore recording one critic noted that the factor which raised this project way above the general level was not the degree of Skidmore's devotion to Coltrane's spirit but in the depth of his understanding and the ability of his technique to translate that understanding into notes. This CD (originally released on L.P.) also marks the first ever recording with the extraordinarily talented 19 years old Jason Rebello on piano.

Click on the CD cover above for some sleeve note detail.