This 1975 MPS release continues Pork Pie’s cutting-edge exploration on the outer boundaries of fusion, jazz, and ethno. Keyboardist Van’t Hof, saxophonist Charlie Mariano, and guitarist Philip Catherine are joined by renowned Danish musician Bo Stief on electric bass and English drummer John Marshall of Soft Machine fame.

This album captures an electrifying live performance from Dutch jazz keyboardist Jasper van’t Hof and his band: Bob Malach on sax, Miroslav Vitous on bass and drummer Alphonse Mouzon, recorded in Montreux in July 1979. The fusion-laden material spotlights the musicians at their best: a pyrotechnical display where everyone solos and all the solos burn, recorded with a beautifully clear, clean live sound.

Arguably the greatest violinist in modern jazz, Zbignew Seifert was a musician’s musician, a player who is still talked about with a sense of awe. By the time of his death in 1979 at the age of 32, he had an international following and was playing with the jazz world’s elite. This 1976 recording features some of the genre's premiere musicians, including American drummer Billy Hart, considered in the same ranks as such innovators as Elvin Jones and Tony Williams. Bassist Cecil McBee’s credentials include work with Miles Davis and Keith Jarrett. Both Hart and McBee had also played with pianist McCoy Tyner, to whom this album and the title song "Man of the Light" are dedicated.

"Fairytale" from Dutch jazz keyboardist Jasper van’t Hof takes listeners on a journey through a fantastical musical landscape, enlivened by a 21-piece brass band and leading European-based musicians. Co-led and produced by influential Swiss keyboardist and composer, the late George Gruntz, a highlight of this whimsical escapade is Gruntz’s Cinderella Friday Night with its funky bass line, hip counterpoint and intermingling of jazz and rock. Challenging, beautiful arrangements, unusual instrumentation and great solos make for a richer Fairytale than even Disney could imagine.

One of the great fusion saxophonists, Bob Malach made the move from his hometown of Philadelphia to NYC in 1976. He soon found work with the likes of Stanley Clarke and Alphonse Mouzon (he’s featured on Mouzon’s MPS release Baby Come Back), and was in the studio with Stevie Wonder, Spyro Gyra and the Brecker Brothers. For the first album under his own name, Malach assembled a group of well-known playmates: John Lee and drummer Gerry Brown were high school buddies, and he and keyboardist Jasper van’t Hof had worked together in Mouzon’s group.

Philip Catherine is a Belgian jazz guitarist. He has been on the forefront of the European jazz scene since the sixties. His lond career includes work with many great artists like Chet Baker, Stéphane Grappelli, Charles Mingus, Dexter Gordon, Larry Coryell, Tom Harrell; his unique approach and sound, his dedication to music have been important and influential. "Guitars" is his third studio album, as leader, released in 1975 via Atlantic label.

One of Europe’s most venerated band leaders, Swiss pianist-composer George Gruntz fronted small and large groups stacked with international jazz greats. This double album represents the 1980 version of Swiss pianist/composer Gruntz’s celebrated all-star international ‘Concert Jazz Band’. Over the years, each one of Gruntz’s bands was stacked with a new set of jazz greats, but his aim was always to mold the band in the Ellingtonian fashion: each member was picked, not only because he fitted into the group concept; it was especially important that he contributed a unique creative color to the band’s palette.

With her Bulgarian background, Israeli singer and pianist Rimona Francis feels at home with the complexities of East European and Middle Eastern rhythms and melodies as well as jazz and modern classical, which she utilizes to great effect on this debut self-titled album. Recorded in 1977, Francis invited three top-flight New York musicians, Polish saxophonist Leszek Zadlo and Dutch keyboardist Jasper van’t Hof to complete the group.