muzycy:
Arthur Blythe, alto saxophone
Lester Bowie, trumpet
Chico Freeman, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, voice
Kirk Lightsey, piano
Cecil McBee, bass
Don Moye, drums, percussion

Although the Leaders is a supergroup comprised of trumpeter Lester Bowie, altoist Arthur Blythe, tenor saxophonist Chico Freeman, pianist Kirk Lightsey, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Don Moye, they fall far short of their potential on this Black Saint CD. Trumpeter Lester Bowie only gets to solo on a tongue-in-cheek version of "Blueberry Hill," and both Blythe and Freeman are very underutilized throughout the date. Pianist Lightsey is the dominant player on the 13 sketches, taking "In a Minute," "Now a Minute" and "Lightish" as unaccompanied solos, "Lucia" as a ballad for the trio and soloing throughout much of the 91 minutes of "Heaven Dance." Otherwise there is an unfinished quality to many of the selections, eight of which are under three minutes in length. Other than Lightsey's contributions, this effort is surprisingly forgettable.
by Scott Yanow