Reviews: Jazz new releases

From the release of his debut album, Telescope (Dune records), way back in 2007 British pianist Andrew McCormack has been steadily building a reputation as a fine musician and composer. Along the way he served his time as a more than able sideman with the likes of Jean Toussant, Kyle Eastwood, Denys Baptiste among others. However, it was his collaboration with saxophonist Jason Yarde, first on My Duo in 2009 and followed up with the marvellous Places and Other Spaces (Edition Records, 2011) which cemented his reputation as a composer and improviser of note.

McCormack has an expressive and emotive way of joining the dots — imagine a mix of Jarrett and McCoy Tyner — and his playing on this fine recording — eight originals and one, ‘Pannonica’, penned by Thelonious Monk — is a joy. These days the pianist is based in New York and joining him on this impressive body of work are bassist Zack Loper and drujmer Colin Stranahan.