Listening to Thelonia I could well imagine that any number of top jazz labels in the very competitive world that is German jazz would be delighted to poach Frankfurt resident Sebastian Sternal (born 1983) to sign the pianist to their label.

Home was a fine release and now this out next month certainly its equal. Traumton is a very advanced label and advanced too is Sternal in the sense that he is an artist who aspires to push himself artistically and technically so it's a meeting of minds.

Solo piano jazz albums are a whole genre on to themselves and have been since The Köln Concert and here highlights include a very well-designed study of the Gershwins' 'Embraceable You' a galaxy away from when the Majestic Dance Orchestra made a first recording of the song in 1930 and a tribute to Sternal's teacher John Taylor on the absorbing 'J.T' which Sternal has recorded before in a different arrangement.

Early tracks seem more classical than later ones when the jazz side nudges through far more. Virtuoso playing throughout with Sternal already showered with awards over the years partly a recognition of this but beyond that factor does the pianist cut through to the emotions? Yes, I think he does without his being at all too intense or remote. Certainly when the tempo goes faster and the jazz influence is plainer to discern buying into that completely is easier.

Sternal doesn't really do clinical. But he does do serious and that is important. Thelonia is not a casual performance: while the title puns on Thelonious (as in Monk) nowhere does Sternal to my ears sound that obviously like Monk. So that is one example of how original a player he is (or distracting the title reference may be, a devil's advocate might suggest) because he has long since found his own voice. Sternal's version of 'The Way You Look Tonight' is fast and furious and it's yet another thrill. SG Out on 3 June