An unjustly overlooked entry in Tony Williams’ catalog, Spring, was recorded in 1965 when the drum prodigy was only 19 years old, by which time he had already appeared on landmark recordings by Miles Davis, Eric Dolphy and Jackie MacLean. Though many fans consider Spring a relatively minor work when compared to 1964’s Lifetime and Williams groundbreaking work on Eric Dolphy’s Out to Lunch, this remarkable re-release, which features a significant improvement in sound quality when compared to the first wave of Blue Note reissues, proves that the album deserves reassessment. Williams’ collaborators, including Miles Davis alums Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock, as well as Sam Rivers and Gary Peacock, all play with an unfettered ferocity that anticipates some of the most exciting emerging developments in jazz including the energy music of Albert Ayler and the free improvisation of Ornette Coleman. Those wishing for an unfiltered glimpse of Williams’ virtuosity on the kit need only look to the remarkable solo drum piece “Echo,” unquestionably one of the highlights of this remarkable set.