Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls radically extend their improvisational material on Seize The Time by refashioning punk, Caetano Veloso, Charles Mingus, Stephen Foster and more in a delirious mélange stoked by a political stance of liberation and freedom. It's their fifth album since 1995, and unlike the quick jump-cuts used by other genre-crushing band, John Zorn's Naked City, Sirota and his crew keep each track true to itself.

Guitarist Dave Miller's arrangement of Clampdown by the Clash starts out the lengthy disc by harnessing the raw energy of the original into a mournful piece emphasizing the contours of the melody. Miller and alto saxophonist Greg Ward solo at length. Veloso's 13 de Maio is driven by Sirota's rattling drums. Their take on Mingus' Free Cell Block F, 'Tis Nazi U.S.A. is true to the original version, with a rollicking solo by Ward and a more thoughtful turn by Geof Bradfield on tenor.

Foster's Hard Times sounds suspiciously modern in this arrangement by Bradfield. Jake Vinsel leads the way with acoustic bass on the plainly stated melody, leading to a swirl of bass clarinet, alto sax, and electric guitar. Besides the well-chosen material from various traditions, each member of the quintet contributes a song to the proceedings.

There's Sirota's Killa Dilla, a minimalist funk/dub piece, and his solo for one of his early inspirations, Max Roach, on Viva Max!. Miller's Tollway is slow and moody to start, opening up into a lope dominated by Bradfield's clarinet. Vinsel's Little D has an african high-life flavor, while Ward's The Keys of Freedom is a kind of free funk with stop-time rhythm parts and testifying saxophones. They do it all with an open spirit, infectious rhythms, and consistently engaging solos. Recommended.