Hail to the Chief: Christian Scott scales great heights at the Scala

Scott has certainly built his band with love. During his Scala set he often stepped back, taking time to appreciate how his cerebral brand of neo-jazz was animated by a sextet of distinct but complementary talents.

Scott eulogised about his bandmates. Pianist Lawrence Fields was dubbed 'the internet of jazz', and flautist Elena Pinderhughes would make us "forget how the flute sounded in jazz before her". Twenty-one-year-old Pinderhughes did a good deal to justify Scott's claim. Her extended solo over the J Dilla-like grooves of 'Liberation over Gangsterism' mixed both fresh and familiar improvisatory language to beguiling effect.

Scott's eloquence on the mic was not confined to bigging-up his band though. His playing was as unique as his collection of custom horns, artfully warped out of shape somewhere between Dizzy and Dali. He displayed the hip sparseness of a musician who has toured since aged 13, long since dismissing brash virtuosity in favour of feel. Scott's breathy tone bears comparison to Miles, but it is as a bandleader and composer where he's truly Davis' heir.

Picking up from support act Mammal Hands, whose minimalist melodies sounded like the needle skipping to repeat your favourite Jan Garbarek phrase, Scott extended the sonic canvas. His pieces ranged widely, from soulful chill to scorching bop, but they all contained space for his bandmates voices. Scott often forwent a solo of his own to allow Pinderhughes, or alto saxophonist Logan Richardson to take his music somewhere new.

Scott explained that he is soon due to take on the chieftainship of the New Orleans Afro-Indians, taking over from his uncle, the alto saxophonist Donald Harrison Jr. The nuanced musical philosophy and sense of generosity Scott demonstrated as a leader on stage suggests he should have no trouble off it.

– Liam Izod