I was a member of the Brotherhood of the Spirit Commune from the summer of 1971 until the Fall of 1975. Taj Mahal, in concert at Northfield, Mass., ca.1973 History of the Free Spirit Press Magazine, by James Baker (Jan.

Photographs Background on Free Spirit Press The images depict the production and distribution of Free Spirit Press and the commune band (Spirit in Flesh, later called Rapunzel), but they also include several rolls of film taken by commune members of major rock and roll acts of the era, including the Grateful Dead, Taj Mahal, Jethro Tull, Santana, Chuck Berry, Hot Tuna, and Fleetwood Mac. The second half of the collection contains hundreds of images, mostly 35mm negatives, taken of or by the commune and its residents. Accumulated mostly while preparing a brochure for the commune, the manuscript material contains copies of the commune's by-laws and membership rolls, comments from community members on how they wished to be represented, and a story board for the brochure and series of quotes from community members to be included. The Baker collection consists of the surviving materials from the production of Free Spirit Press concentrated heavily in the period between winter 1972 and summer 1974. Part promotion, information, and entertainment, the Free Spirit Press magazine ran for four issues in the winter and spring 1972-1973. James Baker was a member of the Brotherhood of the Spirit commune (later the Renaissance Community) in the early 1970s, and a key contributor to the Free Spirit Press, the commune's publishing operation.

The Empty Glass by J.I. Baker