Stan Tracey

Sound CheckReSteamed *****

Stan Tracey's latest is among the best of his long and distinguished career. With Andrew Cleyndert (bass) and Clark Tracey (drums) from his splendid longtime working trio contributing superbly on one CD and Tracey senior in sterling form, there are fine explorations of I Cover The Waterfront, Blue Monk, Angelica, Goodbyeand Chelsea Bridge. Good as this is, it's the other CD, featuring piano/drums duets between father and son, that raises things to an even higher level. A series of coruscatingly inventive, robust but subtle, spontaneous exchanges, presented unedited, give stunning proof of their imaginative rapport. Coherence and dramatic shape are not sacrificed to spontaneity – little motifs and patterns are there – but these irresistible duets have the shared sense of discovery and buoyancy of two masters at the top of their game. One of the albums of the year. See resteamed.com