Swung hard by the firm no nonsense sound of Kasabian drummer Ian Matthews, great on 2016 release The Kid with James Morton, Bristol band the Jazz Defenders have been around a while and hit the ground running with opener 'Meanderthal' and therein pianist-keyboardist George Cooper is as frisky as a colt. And the good news more broadly is that the tunes - mostly Cooper tunes or co-writes also involving the pianist - are sturdy and communicative. There's Soweto Kinch-like rap from Doc Brown on 'Rolling on a High' that owes more to a 1990s Jazzmatazz kind of vibe. And yet the rest of the album and its pervasive sound is rooted firmly in the classic Blue Note spirit of the 1950s and 1960s - a side salad of soul-jazz is generously served with all the meaty horns and rhythm section sense of drive. The band double bassist here is Will Harris of Michelson Morley who leads off 'Take a Minute' while fine trumpeter Nick Malcolm - who impressed us on 2022 Rebecca Nash album Redefining Element 78 - is on form again meshing well with Michelson Morley/Get the Blessing luminary Jake McMurchie on the tenor saxophone. If you adore the classic Blue Note sounds of the 1950s and 60s you will not need to dial into Google Maps to locate the sound here because it's in your head and heart already and the Cooper writing angle is corkscrew accurate enough to achieve the sweetest of pops when these vintage bottles are uncorked. There could have been a bit more like 'Engima (Live in Paris)' for the ballad lovers among us for even extra value but regardless tis a great Sunday morning listen. Tonight the Jazz Defenders, above, photo: press, play The Cluny in Newcastle-upon-Tyne