Challenge is one of the key documents of the 1960s UK free improvisation movement and an important insight into the early development of drummer John Stevens’ constantly evolving Spontaneous Music Ensemble. Originally released on the obscure Eyemark label, SME's debut LP is an extension of the live work they were performing at London's Little Theatre Club (Trevor Watts’ ‘Club 66’ composition here being a tribute to the venue). Needless to say, the music that SME recorded fell on deaf ears as it was considered too wayout by established musicians who thought it was nothing but a noise. For those who did tune in, however, Challenge offered up a new way of listening to an improvised music like jazz. Although any identifiable musical form had seemingly been discarded, the ideas that originally birthed modern jazz were still deeply rooted in the playing of all those involved with SME. Paul Rutherford's ‘2.B. Ornette’ cements the group's commitment to the American fire music of Coltrane, Ayler, Shepp and Coleman, while Watts’ extended ‘Day Of Reckoning’ and Stevens’ ‘Travelling Together’ explores new directions in producing sonic creativity. Together with the bonus track ‘Distant Little Soul’ – a later recording with a young Evan Parker adding his own distinctive playing style to the group – Challenge was (and remains) an improvisational touchstone. Compared to SME's later recordings, however, Challenge sounds almost conventional. The trio of Stevens, Coombes and Smith that appear on the New Surfacing recordings strip back the sound to the bare basics with Stevens disassembling his drum kit over an almost classically bowed violin and sparsely plucked guitar. Originally released on Emanem using a cassette version of the recordings, this newly restored reel-to-reel version adds greater clarity and detail to the performances.