Here's a set of five compositions by Edinburgh-born now Birminghambased composer Sean Gibbs all inspired by the poetry of Robert Burns. The blurb says the music “aims to capture the warmth, drama and humanity present in Burns’ work, connecting with listeners as poems do”. So, quite a tall order for this listener who has no familiarity with Burns and even less with the members of this newly-formed orchestra, this their debut recording. Best, then, to assess the album as a straight-ahead recital of Gibbs’ writing and this outfit's execution of it. ‘Tam O'Shanter’ has an engaging sax-led hook, over an emphatic drum beat, the trumpet writing calling for urgency as guitarist Lee comes in, rock-ishly, drums shuffling emphatically, the trombones prominent as the tempo accelerates and tension builds for Mather to make his mark as Lee moves back in for the kill. ‘Love In The Guise of Friendship’ is more mellow, with a nicely ripe trombone solo from Foote, over a ‘free’ drum pattern, the saxophone riff cutting in before everything stops and a new pattern emerges, with some sprightly writing for the trumpets ahead of Drew's calm alto. ‘Nature's Law’ is more conventional, a true big band chart, with baritone anchoring an opening motif, as the brass cascade and the band starts to swing over Barker's bass while Dewhurst and Lee solo with panache. All in all, a very welcome debut for both orchestra and their arranger of choice, the writing multi-layered and richly textured, with perhaps a hint of Maria Schneider in the stop-start assemblage. Plenty of surprises, all of them good, but did it drive me to seek out the great Rabbie himself? Perhaps not, but I'd certainly like to hear more from Gibbs and the BJO.