David Axelrod is a legend, a producer and engineer on the sessions of so many jazz artists of the 1960s and an eccentric genius whose music embodies and exemplifies the dreams, creativity, risk taking, and experimentation of that heady era more than anyone else. It is genre defying music: classical grandeur, jazz improvisation, funky grooves, psychedelic atmosphere, and the moods and textures found in the greatest film scores.

His 1968 debut was way ahead of its time–it blew away what the Beatles were doing in the studio (except the great Axe remained under the radar). The most talented and skillful session musicians came aboard for his two companion piece albums which were both completely instrumental conceptual pieces based on the visionary Romantic poet William Blake. 

“Urizen” falls out of the sky on your ears like the first snowfall of December (swelling string section followed by gritty bass groove), “Holy Thursday” has jazzy piano, epic horns and strings, and jeweled acid rock guitar, and the rest of this mystical masterwork follows this mesmerizing pattern.

This album has been sampled countless times by hip-hop heads and is still being rediscovered today. A true hidden gem and treasure.