Magnificent? Perhaps. But sumptuous, certainly. Containing no fewer than 3 CDs, Magnificent captures Meier’s work not only during lockdown but is also a summation of his World music explorations of the last decade. Meier of course is a multi-dimensional musician, happy duetting with the estimable Pete Oxley in a jazz context, playing rhythm to Jeff Beck’s fusion or indeed in scary Metal mode in his aptly monikered band My Dark Side. But it is with his regular world music (if we have to use such terms) band that he appears at his original best.

Here he is captured in the studio and live on separate CDs. The live album was taped on the last evening of the World Group’s The Peaceful Tour and not surprisingly has a sense of celebration about it, tempered with Meier’s trademark sense of longing. The usual mix of Balkanic and Middle Eastern rhythm and melody are to the fore, the fusion is never forced, instead, like the best of recipes, all the ingredients are allowed to cook down gently to create something uniquely its own.

Not surprisingly the live album feels a tad looser than the studio CD, but even that is recorded with a live edge that keeps the cooking on a rolling boil throughout. The ‘bonus’ Stories CD by contrast is Meier on his own (well, except for his orchestra of differently stringed and fretted guitars). With his usual charm and facility Meier runs through a set of mainly standards, thus contrasting with the other two CDs of original Meier material. All splendid, beguiling and perhaps even yes, magnificent.