Hastings-born saxophonist Clatworthy has led a double life for quite a while now. Based in Los Angeles, he makes an annual playing visit to Britain, usually with an excellent trio in tow, and seems able to keep going in both countries at once. This time, though, he's heard with his West Coast band and pretty energetic they are too. My digital review version supplied no extra information or notes so this particular session's provenance is far from clear. Nine of the 11 compositions are Clatworthy's own, but which I can't tell you for sure.

On first hearing, this is far removed from his usual hard bop tenor plus rhythm format as served up on his UK visits. If anything, the opening tracks are Mingus-like effusions of clattery activity, Clatworthy's ethereal soprano emerging from the chaos, as the other horns offer ominous sounds, before a free-form finish. ‘Terry Briggs’ is shorter and softer, a straight ballad reading with Clatworthy's plaintive tenor apparent. Elsewhere ensemble pieces that might grace a Horace Silver set come through but invariably with that Mingus-evoking sense of impending mayhem. Pianist Velasco is spirited on ‘Good Grape’, Stout's frail trumpet at its core with vigorous trombone. These pieces tend to build, layer upon layer, the leader taking his chance well on tenor in Coltrane­fashion on the title track. So, an eclectic musical mix which doesn't quite make its intentions clear.