The more you get into jazz the more you notice the things that perhaps aren't obvious at first. Maybe it's a stellar bass player in the band sound. And certainly going out to hear Cécile McLorin Salvant in recent years bassist Paul Sikivie has made a difference. Here is is with his debut as a leader, a modest affair of only five tracks that counts as an EP more than an album. But what it lacks for in quantity it surely makes up for in quality. The thing about Sikivie is his mobility and the way he seems to anticipate the direction of the improvisation. He certainly is more than au fait with the historic traditions of jazz bass which began with Jimmy Blanton and continue today with Christian McBride. If he has a UK equivalent it is perhaps Tim Thornton or Ferg Ireland. Quite a vintage sort of release, there is some great saxophone playing from Stephen Riley and Caleb Curtis and swinging drumming from Steve Little on the majority of the tracks. Check the EP out on Bandcamp as I'm in the Mood For Love is streaming at the moment.