For those who may regard free jazz as inherently unapproachable, Numero D'Vol proves that it is possible to be completely spontaneous while creating music that maintains an instinctive focus. Saxophonist Simon Picard, keyboardist Steve Franklin and drummer Charles Hayward join Soft Machine Legacy's Hopper for a session that proves there's even room for a backbeat in purely improvised music.There's also space for contemporary textures and a touch of ambient music, as Franklin layers waves of synth beds under his oblique, introspective piano musings. Picard, also a member of guitarist Phil Miller’s In Cahoots, brings an angular lyricism with his intuitive, weaving sax lines.This hour-long experiment in rhythm-based collective interaction is some of the last published work from the former Soft Machine' and Soft Machine Legacy's legendary bassist, and stands as a fitting, lasting tribute to the spirit of this legendary musician. A "must have" for Soft Machine completists and free jazz fans."... Hopper’s strongest record in years."  –Jazzwise Magazine, UK