On a cold, foggy night in San Francisco after a great Japanese meal, Manzarek and McClure stepped onto the stage and there were sparks of consciousness - the stage was on fire with poems and piano improvisations. The symbiosis and the synergy made lights. Then Larry Kassin stepped up to join the two with his jazz flute while Lou Judson was recording. This is a live album with its heart still beating - no tricks, gimmicks, or second takes. McClure's poetry and Ray's improvisations shaped words and sound into richer meanings: Piano Poems.