Machine Gun is the touchstone of European Free Jazz. Just about every major figure in the European free jazz scene appears on it. Albums of alternate takes are usually so-so at best, depending on your investment in the original album. I suppose that is true here also, but Machine Gun is one of my favorite albums so I dig this a lot. Perhaps the most striking thing about this album is the consistency between the original album and alternate takes. To anyone who thinks Machine Gun is just a bunch of dudes doing their own thing with no regard for the other players, listen to the album version of Machine Gun and the alternate version back to back. While the takes are clearly different, it is obvious that the track is planned, practiced and executed with precision. Top notch stuff!