UK sax titan Paul Dunmall has been notably prolific of late, releasing a slew of albums recorded by different configurations. This might be one of the most ambitious so far, teaming his working quintet with a 14-piece big band.

Dunmall’s most common modus operandum, of course, tends towards the free end of the music and it’s when his group are stretching out into uncharted territory that they sound most convincing. On pieces like the aptly-named ‘Freestyle,’ the quintet churns and roils while Ed Puddick’s massed horn arrangements billow and swell around the central core. At its best this approach recalls George Russell’s ‘Electronic Sonata For Souls Loved By Nature.’ Less successful are the pieces more closely allied to rhythm. Opening tack, ‘Soultime,’ harks back to Dunmall’s teenage years playing in a soul band, and is aiming for a good-foot vibe but feels like a slog under the weight of all the brass.

The set ends with ‘Sacred Hymn,’ a typically Dunmallian (for which, read Coltrane-influenced) blast of spiritual yearning. Here, Puddick’s lush arrangements add an epic feel entirely in keeping with Dunmall’s big-hearted message.