29th volume in the BYG Actuel series; gatefold sleeve, 180 gram vinyl. "Originally released on the French BYG Actuel label, this a classic album recorded in Paris during August 1969 while the Art Ensemble was on its initial stay there with just a quartet featuring Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors and Joseph Jarman. Reese And the Smooth Ones has a continuous piece featuring all the members playing lots of little instruments (horns, gongs, logs, bells, sirens, whistles, steel drums, marimba, banjo and more) in addition to their mainstays."