Thom JurekThe other half of theNew York Is Nowsession, which is, in a sense, ridiculous. Blue Note issued two records when they really had one. There were two dates, April 29 and May 7, 1968. Half the tunes from this volume and half fromNew York Is Nowwere recorded at each session. The CD versions contain all of the alternate takes and unreleased cuts of both days. Here, Coleman withDewey Redmanand the rhythm section ofElvin JonesandJimmy Garrisonwork through Coleman's melodic conceptions and harmonic constructs on five numbers, with alternate takes making up two more. Coleman plays alto on four tunes and trumpet on three -- better than violin. "Airborne" is the most successful thing here in that Coleman's music matches the rhythm section's energy for the only time on the session. 　　Redman's tenor solo is one of the most bleating and emotionally intense of his career, careening across microphonics as he flats fifths and screeches through a series of arpeggios that cause Coleman to begin his solo at 60 mph at the very top of a scale and cruise through six or seven melodic variations on its theme before bringing it back down. Meanwhile,Elvinbarely breaks a sweat andGarrisoncreates such a taut harmonic template for Coleman andRedman, they have to stretch. The title track is perhaps Coleman's finest moment on the trumpet; he spatters his notes in such a way that across the B-flat diminished nine scalar invention, he picks up all the tonal qualities in the color palette and chromatically orders them in such a way that it sets upRedmanwith a prime opportunity to alter the melody of the tune one note at a time. Also, the bluesy theme in "Check out Time," with its echoes ofThelonious Monk's "Blue Monk," is a nice touch, but it should have opened or closed the album.