Outlaws

A flute-bass duo is not an everyday occurrence on CD, let alone making up an entire release. Yet the combination of Jeremy Steig and Eddie Gomez in this 1975 concert works extremely well because of the virtuoso talent of both musicians, along with their obviously compatibility. They previously had worked together on the Bill Evans album WHAT'S NEW. (Gomez had recently departed Evans at the time of this recording.) Three of the originals sound improvised rather than composed, except for "Autumn Comes, Autumn Leaves," which is obviously derived from the standard, opening with Gomez's solo variations of the well-known song, along with an intense, introspective rendition of "Nardis," though the bassist's brief use of an electronic delay sounds rather dated. Each man has a solo number--Steig's elegant, somewhat free-form "Nightmare" recalls Eric Dolphy's adventurous spirit, while Gomez's dramatic "Arioso" features his playing exclusively with a bow. Considering how little Steig has been recorded as a leader since the late '70s, this session should be of special interest to his fans.|