Tristan Banks, View From Above, Ubuntu ****

Contrapuntalism studded with cross rhythms are rife on the title track here on drummer Tristan Banks' latin jazz-soaked stormer. Blessed with some fine woodwind textures and gritty sax playing from the great Paul Booth (known for his work with …

Published: 16 Mar 2023. Updated: 14 days.

Contrapuntalism studded with cross rhythms are rife on the title track here on drummer Tristan Banks' latin jazz-soaked stormer. Blessed with some fine woodwind textures and gritty sax playing from the great Paul Booth (known for his work with Steve Winwood and The Eagles) and who Banks has worked with in Trypl, Booth is most superb when he goes into a Michael Brecker type space on 'Ex Machina'. Banks also has bassist Davide Mantovani (known for his work with Alex Wilson) and pianist John Crawford who has played in Isq on the record and the unit gels big time.

If you are a Booth fan there is a helluva lot to savour. His flute playing on 'Capelinha' is a must. As for Banks he has mega chops - think Steve Gadd probably quite a bit when it goes down to rudiments and which is no mean feat if you even get half way there and he more than does. Tunes are Banks' and mighty fine they are too - the whole thing laid down at Steve Winwood's studio Wincraft in the Cotswolds two summers ago.

The unit grooves best of all on 'Polycephaly' when Booth journeys the extra mile in terms of elasticity and fervour achieved by reaching for soprano sax. Banks on 'Cidade' even enters an Alex Acuña type space which is extremely stimulating. Tristan Banks, photo via Ubuntu. 'Dust Devil' and the title track are streaming. It's one of the best UK jazz releases of 2023 a couple of months in. View From Above is out on 31 March.

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Terence Collie, Reminiscent ***

Solo piano from Terence Collie who in recent years has worked with singers Esther Bennett and Deelee Dubé. It's good to hear Henry Mancini's 'Lujon' again - the segue slides easily into another standard, 'I Thought About You.' Recorded just last …

Published: 16 Mar 2023. Updated: 14 days.

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Solo piano from Terence Collie who in recent years has worked with singers Esther Bennett and Deelee Dubé. It's good to hear Henry Mancini's 'Lujon' again - the segue slides easily into another standard, 'I Thought About You.' Recorded just last month at the Riverside Arts Centre in Sunbury-on-Thames and very tidily played in a modern mainstream style, the title track - Collie explains - ''is an older composition I had never recorded and rarely performed, a brooding minor tune with a modal feel.'' Collie favours bright tonalities and neat resolutions, perhaps overly so. There isn't nearly enough dynamic range but sound quality is fine and it's a pleasant enough listen. Terence Collie, photo, press. Obtain Reminiscent here

Collie plays Cafe Yukari in Kew on 26 March - click for tickets