Now 65, Clare Daly, a Berklee graduate and educator, has made quite a name for herself on her native New York scene since specialising on the baritone. Her initial break-through came with Diva, the all-female big band, but since then she’s released albums and won awards galore. The titular Frances is a friend who knew the Harlem scene way back, and ‘VuVu’ simply means ‘an airy, melodic sound’ and that is exactly what Daly and Garzone dish up here in this tribute to said Frances.

In a 13-track programme largely made up of standards, Daly is the epitome of relaxation and taste, taking a tune like ‘Fools Rush in’ and simply allowing her billowing, Mulligan-esque sound to work its magic. When Garzone comes in, he’s equally measured, clearly enjoying the chance to play great melodies without any overt need to veer towards the avant-garde although ‘The Lonely Goatherd’ does turn into a lively romp. The two horns harmonise quite beautifully on ‘Mood Indigo’ and elsewhere, Daly’s treatment of ‘Warm Valley’, her friend’s favourite Ellington piece, particularly pleasing as it’s combined with an uppish ‘What Am I Here For’, each principal improvising forcefully but without bombast. Davis knows how to complement the mood as on ‘I’ll Take Manhattan’, which he re-invents stylishly, Garzone sidling in as Daly builds on the melody, with bass and drums happy to take things easy or assert themselves as necessary. Rest assured this is likeable, engaging music.