As a member of the Mingus Dynasty band, veteran trombonist Ku-umba Frank Lacy will only be all too aware of the relevance of the master bassist and the decades of jazz history that came in his wake. This enjoyable compilation of live performances (taken from two different concerts in upstate New York), makes that very explicit, presenting Mingus' inspirational ‘Ecclusiastics’ as the centrepiece of a programme that also features the songs of Albert Ayler, Henry Threadgill and Steve McCall. The latter two were of course part of the legendary trio Air, and Lacy, Kevin Ray and Andrew Drury have something of that group's combustion, dynamics and attention to detail, with the bass and drums in particular playing sharply focused independent roles beyond basic timekeeping. Spanish rhythms, gospel melodies, New Orleans polyphony and hard swing are all part of the heady brew that they serve up, but beyond the quality of the compositions the improvisations have both the punch and creative depth to hold the attention. Most interestingly, it is a piece by the bassist Joe Ford, ‘Give It Some Thought’ that proves to be the highlight of the album. It's a wonderfully yearning, soulful anthem that puts the gloss on a CD in which the choice of ‘nonstandard’ standards is pleasingly refreshing.