Not the soul funk you might expect from a protégé of Pee Wee Ellis, but a tight yet melodic set of contemporary vibes from a band stuffed with the brightest of contemporary college graduated talent. But don't let that put you off: Arcoleo has plenty of miles on the road to his credit, earned while he was yet a teenager, and he has a breadth of experience through reggae to bop that adds a breadth to his sound. So although some of this album has the earnestness of the scholar about it – these are after all Arcoleo's first forays into writing after putting in time as sideman to the likes of Ellis and Kit Downes – there's also a sense of drama and energy. From the off, Neames urging dark chords push ‘Dean Rd’ into an edgy space that Arcoleo, with a Lovano-like voice, explores with wit but no attempt to over blow. There's an equally sinuous interplay on ‘Nomad's Land’, featuring a cascadingly romantic intro from Neame. The band can take it down too, as on ‘Glade’ with Gourlay holding it all together tastefully. Neame's lyricism is to the fore too on ‘Phoenix’ and it's to Arcoleo's credit that although the recording of the album was part of his Kenny Wheeler Prize, won while he was at the Royal Academy, the resulting product has been written to showcase the band, not simply Arcoleo's performing talents. Only a beginning indeed, but one that promises much.