marlbank

Shai Maestro, The Guesthouse, Naïve ***

There's plenty of spirit and a contemporary sheen to The Guesthouse. But Shai Maestro's latest doesn't quite engage as much as some of his earlier work managed to do.

Carsten Dahl, Into the Storm, Storyville ****

Body and Soul, Caravan and more plus a wonderful reading of Blame It On My Youth.

Alex Hitchcock, Ant Law, Jasper Høiby, Sun-Mi Hong, House of Light, ZenneZ **** recommended

Formidable, probing, interrogative instrumentalism from a band of leaders. Post-bopper Alex Hitchcock is the sax genius of Chris Potter calibre quietly nestling in our midst.

Shabaka, Of The Earth, Shabaka Records ***

This latest sprawling solo effort from Shabaka isn't at all the most essential item in the saxist/flautist's discography.

Track of the Day: If Ever I Would Leave You – Jo Harrop

A knockout version of a Lerner and Loewe classic is the first newly released Jo Harrop recording in a while and marks a return to the song that the acclaimed north-east of England singer has already successfully recorded.

Live review: Nathan Carter, London Palladium ****

An entertaining evening as once in a generation country singer Nathan Carter has the London Palladium audience eating out of the palms of his hands.

Talkline, Vortex***

Unusually fronted by a singer who plays vibes accompanied by double bass and piano, Talkline on this performance played originals and treatments of songs by Labi Siffre, Radiohead and John Martyn.