Music: Electronic Sonata For Souls Loved By Nature (1980) (George Russell)

A second take on George Russell’s masterwork, recorded eleven years later with a different lineup (Victor Comer, Keith Copeland, Jean-Francois Jenny-Clark, Robert Moore, Lew Soloff) and a markedly dissimilar orchestration. This version switches the piano for organ, slows down the tempo of the opening movement to a funky amble, and makes many other changes. Many passages have the same electric thrill as the 1969 performance, although the brass sounds a touch sloppy and flatulent (particularly in the first movements). I still prefer the original, but this one — and the Essence of George Russell version — are fascinating to compare, both in terms of details and the overall sweep and execution of the piece.