We live in challenging times. Every day, the headlines warn us of an unsettling economic upheaval, a precarious balance of world power, a life-threatening dose of nature's fury, a contentious season of political transition and more. And then there are the personal struggles - the emotional upheavals in our individual lives that may not be part of the evening news, but are no less life-changing. After a while, the cumulative effect of these and countless other concerns weighs heavy on the heart and mind.

Saxophonist/vocalist/educator Walter Beasley suggests that it may be time to let go. Free Your Mind is Beasley's attempt to make sense of recent emotionally charged events - some global, some personal - that have changed his perspective on his own life in particular and the human experience in general.

"All I wanted to do with this record was accurately reflect the times and how I felt about them," says Beasley. "I had been working so much in the past few years, and living this musical life so intensely, that I hadn't taken the time to recognize the emotional impact of some things that had been happening in my life and in the world. With the times being what they are, I think this is a record that can help people let go of their concerns for a while and just lose themselves in the moment."