Austrian-born, London-based saxophonist Spannocchi's considerable personal charm is abundantly evident on this set of recordings of his original compositions that combine accessible melodic invention and gently compelling grooves to maintain a mood of sunny optimism throughout. In a spirit of cross-border cooperation that's sadly in short supply nowadays. He's assembled a cast of international musicians to assist him: Tristan Banks and Robert Mitchell have both carved out their own distinctive niches on the London jazz scene, Sylvie Leys joins from France and Michelangelo Scandroglio from Italy, while Canadian Jay Phelps contributes his superbly assured bop-derived trumpet to satisfying effect, particularly on the obliquely captivating ballad ‘Das Ist Die Frage’.

Other highlights include the exciting interplay between Banks and Mitchell on the odd-metered ‘A Walk In Yoyogi Park’, the laid-back Steely Dan type shuffle on ‘Night Time In Soho’ (with another outstanding solo from Phelps), and Banks’ typically scintillating solo break on ‘Uphill Blues’. Leys contributes brief but pithy statements that match the leader's light-toned alto, Mitchell adds to the charm by confining himself to the tinkly tones of the Wurlitzer electric piano, and Scandroglio is quietly excellent throughout. Highly enjoyable.