USA meets SA on a session that has simpatico charm à gogo. While the trans-continental encounter of two excellent saxophonists, the American Hal Singer and South African Kippie Moeketsi is a central point of interest, the real story – as the title suggests – is the enduring inspiration of the blues. Singer has it down pat and Moeketsi and compatriots bring their own languorous inflections to the genre on songs that have a leisurely skip and strut. The two-horn front line works well, with some savvy close harmonising throughout, but it is really Moeketsi’s yearning alto and Singer’s piercing tenor that give a pleasing gravitas to the material.

Apart from a couple of originals, there are smartly swung covers of songs by Duke Pearson and Kenny Burrell. On one hand, there is nothing especially innovative about what Moeketsi and Singer have done here. On the other hand, this cogent statement of ‘core values’ in black music, a celebration of rock solid foundations, is still more than welcome.