The University of Toronto orchestra pays tribute here to one of Canada's most distinctive jazz exports, trumpeter-composer Kenny Wheeler, with a programme of his compositions opening with the 29-minute title suite, said to be ‘relatively unknown’. Arranged by Wheeler himself with Winstone's voice as an essential orchestral component, it rises and falls quite majestically, the lines interweaving, Brad Eaton's solo trumpet echoing Wheeler's own bittersweet sound with Liebman's soaring, chirpy soprano over Vrankulj's majestic basslines, Smith and Smiley also prominent. This is Wheeler the optimist, exultant almost, the writing (and the university players' execution) offering considerable rewards as the tempos change and thicken, with Winstone adding lyrics here and there. It would have been good to know more of Wheeler's intentions for this and the remaining three pieces but the CD is issued in a card cover without a booklet and that seems to me to sell it short. For the record, who was ‘Sweet Ruby’? ‘W.W.’ is shorter, more of a Wheeler-style romp really, with Smiley, Liebman and Winstone in the mix while Eaton gets the spotlight, as the textures move. There are nice moments of interplay between Liebman and the wordless Winstone on ‘Canter No. 1’ and she leads off ‘Winter Sweet’ moving around the harmonies in solemn fashion. All in all, a feast for the Wheeler-philes, of which there are many. Look out for the impressive Liebman.