the first 30 seconds are a little strange as freddie blows like crazy and then a drum roll is played. . . again. . . again. on first listen, i was scared. the first two cuts are long and funky. the groovy foundation is set up quick on both tunes, and then it's solo after solo. this isn't as bland as i make it sound. it's actually pretty exciting, but it's hit and miss. when it misses it's because the groove gets lost and, as you might expect, some of the solos are better than others. the playing is consistently good though and the solos are really creative and the artists aren't scared to venture into the unknown. the third track is a nice and tight ballad with trumpet, bass and guitar. it doesn't really fit the style of the rest of the cd, but it's still good and may be the best tune on the album. as usual for cti recordings, the supporting band is top notch.

This album is hot! There is an incredible group of musicians on this album and they outdo themselves! George Benson is never better, in my opinion, than on Freddie's CTI recordings of this time. I think Straight Life and Sky Dive are Benson's best. This album is soo cool it sounds very new and inovative even today.

This is an excellent, excellent album that any fan of almost any genre will enjoy. The grooves are infectious, the soloing is fiesty, and the result is superb. To boot, The coda, Here's That Rainy Day, is Freddie's lyrical playing at its best.