New Dalta Ahkri, Reflectativity (side A)

While Leo Smith is credited with scoring the improvisations (and he also has a producer credit), his name does not appear as a leader on 1975's Reflectativity—it's credited to New Dalta Ahkri as an ensemble.  The group here consists of Smith along with Anthony Davis on piano and Wes Brown on bass and Ghanaian flute.  The pieces often involve a foreground instrument playing for an extended time in a fixed style with sparse accompaniment.  The ensemble sections between these solo-like periods are short and subdued.  The music is slight to a point where it nearly disappears, even as the playing itself is busy and full of detail.  The sparse silhouette line drawing barely reveals the shape of the players, much like the music, and the 70s font accompanies it perfectly.  The sound quality is good for a mid-70s live recording, though the bass sound captures too much mid-range and lacks low end.