Here's a female duo and special guest working in the contemporary jazz-meets-improv field that are arguably deserving of more attention. Alcyona Mick is a versatile pianist and original North London Loop Collective member, now immersed in various film soundtrack and global music contexts. Woodwind player Tori Freestone is a vital cog in a number of large and small ensembles and has released a couple of her own excellent trio albums on the prolific Whirlwind Recordings imprint. Brigitte Beraha, one of the UK's leading vocalists guests on a couple of tracks, and her tasteful, free-wheeling, non-verbal vocal is in a bracing dialogue with Freestone's expressive flute on the mesmeric opener ‘Hermetica’, in homage to the idiosyncratic Brazilian big band composer Hermeto Pascoal. The scene is set for Freestone's slightly Garbarek-ish sax on the haunting ‘Charmed Life’, while ‘Mrs PC’ is Chris Potter-like funk meets Debussy. Mick and Freestone are an elegant pairing with contrasting writing styles. The pianist's natural groove sensibility, occasionally connected to an earlier classic jazz vernacular, is such that you hardly notice the bass-less format. On her ‘Strange Behaviour’ she reveals a Monk-like playfulness and ‘Exchange’ is reminiscent of a Garland-Simcock chamber piece. The album is warmer and more classically lyrical than you might expect from this mature yet inquisitive pair, but it's rooted in quirky invention as well.