Recordings of this collective are as rare as a promise kept by a politician, so let’s savour this release from The People Band. Live serves not only as a testament to the band’s outings of the last decade, but also as a tribute to pianist and original member Mel Davis who joined the great (free) gig in the sky in 2013. Two Davis solos top and tail this collection of 12 ‘excerpts’ garnered from Cafe OTO events. Davis’ solos, melodic and mellifluous give the lie to the notion that ‘free’ music is about burning your ears off. Indeed, throughout these recordings, you will be seduced as well as cajoled by the sensuous mix of voices, such as the blues break down that climaxes excerpt 11. The original core of the band are all on board, but guests like Maggie Nicols contribute with the same passionate spirit, notably on the orgasmic spat of excerpt nine. But it’s fitting that Davis has the last say, with a closing rhapsody.