Ivo Neame

Caught in the light of day Edition ****

One of the pieces on pianist/composer Ivo Neame's new CD is called Quixotic, a description that could apply to almost all the others. Neame, who wrote all the tracks, is not prone to tilting at windmills, but his compositions are full of surprises – angular lines, unexpected intervals and changes of tempo and mood, all negotiated with a deft fluidity echoed by the playing of this fine young quartet.

And, despite the surprises, there’s a quirky logic to the pieces that the musicians respond to in kind. Neame, Jim Hart (vibes) and regulars Jasper Hoiby (bass) and James Maddren (drums) display dazzling invention and sure-footedness inside or outside the parameters of the material. If the music’s lyric qualities are more elusive, collectively and individually the group’s performance has a passionate sense of drama and intellectual engagement that is compelling. www.editionrecords.com