Though hardly a household name, Tony Lakatos has appeared on over 150 CDs and name-checks the likes of Terri Lyne Carrington and Al Foster as accompanists – and that's just the drummers. He's got a big sound on both tenor and soprano saxes, gets to the essence of a tune and swings like the clappers. Here, he's with a relaxed rhythm section, playing a choice set of standards ranging from ‘Ask Me Now’ by Thelonius Monk to Bill Evans' ‘Turn Out the Stars’. Lakatos was born in Hungary in 1958, and is an outspoken critic of anti-Roma and anti-Jewish prejudice, and he brings this passion and commitment to his playing. He moved to Germany in 1981, and now plays with Frankfurt Radio's HR big band – the pianist on this album, New Yorker Jim McNeely, is the band's current conductor – and he knows how to project, and make the most of a good tune. And on this album, each one's a cracker. The album starts with a romp through ‘All or Nothing at All’, ends with Herbie Hancock's ‘What if I Don't?’ and there's a knockout version of Kenny Wheeler's ‘Everybody's Song But My Own’ featuring a funky play-out on soprano. McNeely accompanies beautifully and solos with panache, and Anderson and Nussbaum are locked in on bass and drums. If experienced musicians putting their stamp on a well-chosen set of standards is your thing, then this CD fits the bill perfectly.