"Original Rays" is a collaborative composition by Michael Brecker, Mike Stern, and Don Grolnick from Brecker's 1987 self-titled Impulse! debut. The track opens with Brecker on the Electronic Wind Instrument (EWI), the synthesizer controller he helped bring to prominence in jazz, producing futuristic timbres over a straight-eighth groove in B-flat. Pat Metheny follows on electric guitar with a solo in F major at an increased tempo, his characteristically lyrical approach creating long, arcing melodic lines. Brecker then returns on tenor saxophone, bringing the full force of his acoustic sound to close the solo sequence. The track exemplifies the album's adventurous spirit, incorporating electronic instruments alongside traditional jazz saxophone without compromising musical substance. Brecker's facility on the EWI was remarkable, bringing the same improvisational logic and emotional expression to the electronic controller as to his tenor saxophone. The shifting tempos and keys between solo sections give the piece a through-composed quality, each soloist inhabiting a distinct musical environment. Charlie Haden on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums navigate these transitions with characteristic musicality.
