If the recent compilation The Creator was a delicious appetiser then this is a peerless piece de résistance: one of the great jazz vocal albums of the 1960s, the influence of which remains undimmed. While the anthem that is ‘The Creator Has A Master Plan’, heart stopping in its emotional depth and sparse, taut structure, cannot fail to grab the attention – it so strongly implies an eastern chant as well as a gospel melody – then the reprise of Horace Silver’s ‘Song For My Father’ is equally unforgettable. Here Thomas unveils delicacy and detail in his baritone to match the thunder shown elsewhere, and the result is stunning. If that tune highlights his skilled handling of latin rhythms then Thomas excels on post-Trane modalism and gentle waltzes elsewhere. According to Lonnie Liston Smith, he, Pharoah Sanders and Thomas were all pushing each other down experimental roads and the singer’s wordless vocal technique hit a peak on ‘Echoes’, where the pearly, horn-like passages are enchanting. Excellent purchase for those not familiar with the original vinyl as well as those who are, due to the three bonus tracks – ‘Um Um Um’, ‘Damn Nam’ and ‘A Night In Tunisia.’ Flying Dutchman, the label to which Thomas was signed, marketed him as an artist exploring ‘New Vocal Frontiers’. As Chuck D would surely have said in this particular case: “do believe the hype.