Do you get healed…? Well, in a way yes.

Alfa Mist has risen meteorically since emerging in 2017 from a grime and hip-hop influenced background. Dilla and The Roots but also Miles, Monk and Avishai Cohen are among his inspirations. Here there is more a classical sense of poise and I guess he will go global after this if he gets lucky and the right promoters hear this album to put his original approach in front of their jazz festival audiences.

Certainly the Londoner's most serious foray into jazz for sure and yet his style keeps an oblique distance from the usual mannerisms and obvious sources and while more an ep than a full CD-length album in terms of length no matter the melodies are exceptionally vibrant navigating away from bittersweet tweeness to the right side of meditation. Is it too much of a stretch to wonder if he has gone and done a Jarrett? Perhaps but there is a Köln Concert-like aura to this record that is remarkable.

'Withered' for instance begins mournfully and then starts to shoot more optimistically allowing Alfa's right hand to draw out a far sunnier melody than might have hitherto been expected.

While full blown improvisation is not a factor here I suppose the real skill is in self editing in a solo setting when over indulgence goes with the territory. Above all he is in the moment.

Just get this today. Best UK solo jazz piano album in my book oh since Django Bates' 1994 album Autumn Fires (and Green Shoots).

As distinguished long-time UK jazz record executive Adam Sieff wisely noted recently reviewing the record: ''As a self-taught pianist, Alfa Mist conveys emotion through this music more positively than many more highly trained musicians I have heard.''

SG

Out now on Sekito.