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Title: Room to breathe
Review: There is nothing hurried about this disc. That said, the music is focused and will stretch your mind. Lewis employed masterful melodic improvisers here: Paul Gonsalves, Eric Dolphy, Jimmy Giuffre, Jim Hall among others. Listen to "Body and Soul" as it builds powerfully and the soloists explore every possible melodic theme, where the quiet power of these master musicians is almost too much to take. Listen to "I Remember Clifford" where the players are essentially the MJQ with Jim Hall replacing Milt Jackson. Listen to "The Stranger" (written by a young Arif Mardin) with that harmonious-yet-discordant brass. This set swings, but oh-so-elegantly. Just like Mr. Lewis.
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