Dramatic Life Lyte***

Judging by this debut, John Leighton is a fine pianist/composer whose music has distinction and individuality. It’s delivered by an ideally chosen group that includes Michael Buckley (soprano/tenor/flute), Mark McKnight (guitar), Michael Janisch (bass), David Lyttle (drums) and Anna Stott (vocals). If Leighton’s lyrics – referencing his own life experiences and personal icons in medical heroine Florence Nightingale and the poet John Keats – are not as strong as his compositions, there is still much to admire in the unaffected warmth of Stott’s vocal approach.

The album's impact rests on the compositions and the superbly lyrical work of Buckley and Leighton, McKnight's colouring and the tonal balance of a fine band. Particularly attractive are Nothing To Gain, perhaps the most persuasive lyric, and the astringent beauty and solo responses of Whin Bush. See lyterecords.com