Mark Weinstein, who secured a PhD in Philosophy at City University of New York in 1973, has an astonishing background in music since the 1960s. A prolific multi-instrumentalist he started out as a trombonist-arranger who, over the years, worked with Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, Herbie Mann, Chick Corea and many big bands including those of Maynard Ferguson, Joe Henderson and Thad Jones-Mel Lewis. He is largely credited as having created the trumpet-trombone sound that became the standard of all samba brass sections. He has recorded some 18 albums in every conceivable musical vein from classical, Jewish, Brazilian and even free bop with Cindy Blackman. But this is his most challenging venture to date, blending a free jazz concept with tastefully churning Afro-Cuban undercurrents. This quite brilliant ensemble is largely influenced by the exceptional young Cuban pianist Aruán Ortiz whose intense, often dissonant solos are free, feisty, furious and in-your-face. His imprint is everywhere on the album, which involves totally personal and controversial interpretations of compositions by Ornette Coleman (‘Open or Close’), Sam Rivers (‘Dance of the Tripedal’ and ‘Mellifluous Cacophony’) and Andrew Hill (‘For Emilio’) as well as Eden Ahbez's ‘Nature Boy’ (a highly sensitive alto flute feature by Weinstein) and two of his own, more avant garde originals. The outstanding work of Weinstein and Ortiz is matched by the subtle polyrhythmic playing by a marvellous rhythm section. Rashaan Carter, until recently with Wallace Roney, gets ample opportunity to combine his deep Cuban feel and free jazz pulse, while the ever-versatile Cleaver maintains his free spirit over and with the matchless traditional percussion grooves of Roman Diaz, whose star pupil is Pedrito Martinez. This exceptional CD mixes discipline and freedom to a remarkable degree and stands out as being really different. Unreservedly recommended.