The pianist George Colligan brings with him a wealth of experience from playing on the New York scene since first recording there in the mid-1990s. This decade he's toured with Jack DeJohnette and seen the drumming giant return the favour in 2014 by appearing on his fine trio recording with Larry Grenadier titled The Endless Mysteries. Recorded for ex-compatriot Michael Janisch's Whirlwind Recordings, More Powerful showcases Colligan's colourful use of a jazz vocabulary in the modernist tradition whereas something like the Neil Cowley-ish ‘Waterfall Dreams’ calls on the pianist-composer's other interests, in the latin, popular and classical vein. But overall the album is directly linked to a free bop lineage that's becoming increasingly marginalised in the current climate in which jazz is being defined as a musical approach as opposed to being directly aligned to its roots. Colligan will keep plugging away regardless and highlights here include the aptly named ‘Effortless’ on which his athletic Chick Corea-like prowess is on show; an Eric Dolphy-like modal, atonal-edged ‘More Powerful Than You Can Imagine’ has drummer Royston and bassist Oh swinging and really fired up to the max, as saxophonist Nicole Glover – a name that's new to this writer – ramps up an impressive Trane-like intensity. It's far more than just a blowing session.