An acclaimed singer in his own right, Leon Thomas is also synonymous with the music of Pharoah Sanders but it should not be forgotten that he was also a member of Santana. The connection is made explicit on one of the highlights of this set. Thomas reprises ‘Just In Time To See The Sun’, which was featured on the guitar hero’s 1971 classic Caravanserai and the new rendition is excellent. Although his baritone could generate volcanic power Thomas was also a remarkably sensitive singer and his blend of light and heavy tone brings character to the gorgeously soulful melody. The same could be said of the beautiful rolling samba ‘Balance Of Life (Peace Of Mind)’ but the stand out cut is the deeply emotive ‘It’s My Life I’m Fighting For’, where Thomas captures the seriousness of the lyric with a blend of intense bluesiness, deep melancholy and his trademark Pygmy chanting, over a fine interweaving of flute, trumpet, guitar and percussion. The reissue market is saturated to say the least, but this handsomely-packaged gatefold LP is well worth the investment.