This record’s accompanying blurb features the arresting line “Dr Brian Landrus is an internationally recognised low woodwind artist.” Those of our readers who were unaware that this particular form of artistry was the subject of international recognition will be in for an education, for Dr Landrus uses the affordances of multi-tracking to demonstrate the full range of low woodwinds throughout this unusual recording.

Ellington of course featured the immortal baritone saxophone of Harry Carney prominently for over 40 years, bringing the instrument into the jazz vocabulary and building on the formidable bottom of Adrian Rollini’s bass sax, which Carney admitted to emulating in the lower register, and we can imagine the spirits of these two giants gazing down approvingly on this project. The low woodwinds and banks of flutes make this a beguilingly mellow listen: the rhythm section are restrained and tasteful throughout, and while Landrus occupies himself chiefly with the orchestrations and melodic statements with little space for improvisation he gives a very good account of himself when there’s a bit more space to stretch out, and his solo bass sax version of ‘Sophisticated Lady’ is masterly.

Landrus captures the stately elegance of Ellington but none of his urgency - this reminds one of the sort of mainstream projects that were popular in the 1960s as jazz sought to capitalise on the lounge market with producer-led albums of unusual instrumental combos playing solid gold material. It’s beautifully executed but listeners might be more profitably engaged with the original recordings.