This is an exceptional release comprising entirely of rare Harriott recordings, most previously unreleased. It's an important documentation at three levels – historically, musically and socially. Historically, Acrobat have again succeeded in coming up with extremely rare and significant material that provides an alternative window from which to view a British jazz legend in his prime while the liner notes by Simon Spillett help challenge our received notions of Harriott, his times and musical world. Musically, there are some exceptional moments, the saxophonist's three previously unreleased WDR recordings with the Kurt Edelhagen band in Germany that are among “the finest recorded examples of [Harriott's] playing in its immediately pre-free form period,” four Harriott quartet tracks previously released on a long deleted EP and a remarkable Daily Mail International Jazz All-Stars session from June 1963. Previously unreleased, it has Kenny Ball and Shake Keane rubbing shoulders in the trumpet section along with Humphrey Lyttelton, Chris Barber in the trombone section and a sax section of Johnny Dankworth and Harriott on altos and Tubby Hayes and Danny Moss on tenors, with Coleridge Goode on bass and Alan Ganley on drums. The result is a fascinating mix-and-match documentation of British jazz that was quite unique. Finally, socially, Spillett offers some compelling arguments to suggest Harriott “was not as far from the establishment of British jazz as some maintain.” His contention offers an interesting contra view to much received wisdom that readers can consider and make up their own mind about. But whatever we conclude, the music is guaranteed to enlarge our perspective of a truly great musician.