While his first few rather insipid groove-jazz albums on Candid didn't do him any favours fending off those in the jazz world who thought he might be living off his mega-famous name, the bassist Kyle Eastwood could be said to have finally stepped out of his dad's shadows with last year's Songs from the Chateau and now this new recording, both of them far and away his best to date. His UK-based line up is at the top end of post-bop era straight ahead players in this country and they provide some bracing solos here; the now New York-based pianist McCormack especially adds a welcome unpredictable touch. The experience on the road has obviously sharpened up the group dynamics and this is a CD that has a live energy about it as if it was recorded at a concert. Eastwood's influences are at the lyrical end of modernism and range from hard bop to soul/latin jazz, through to Miles Quintet free bop and 1970s jazz-funk. But Eastwood's attractive, if not immediately attention-grabbing, compositions also draw from the musical worlds of flamenco, Arabic and West Africa and give The View From Here an understated world-music tinge at times. An unpretentious slice of easy-going yet high spirited acoustic jazz.