Barefoot

Barefoot emerged in 1988 as a vibrant ensemble built around four to six percussionists, multiple dancers and an assortment of solo instruments. Percussionist Clay Henry, who had played jazz bass in New York during the 1960s, and violinist Steve Kindler, previously a member of a later edition of the Mahavishnu Orchestra as well as a sideman with Jan Hammer and Jeff Beck, established the project after meeting in Big Sur. There Henry had already directed a comparable outfit named Pulsations for six years. The pair set out to create an expansive collective that merged jazz’s improvisational liberty with folk-derived melodies and a strong dance component. Their first recording, issued by Global Pacific in 1990, featured flutist Sulubika, who came aboard at Charles Lloyd’s suggestion, saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum, guest bassist David Friesen and the wordless vocals of Jackie Ryan.