For his third trio release on Munich’s ACT label, the promising young Spanish pianist-composer Daniel Garcia conjures up a winning combination of razor-sharp percussive energy and a mouth-wateringly glistening tone. He also knows how to pen a good tune. His piano trio goes beyond the largely flamenco-infused sound world of their first couple of albums broadening the range of influences to include Un-American world-folk and classical music through to Latin and neo-soul, much of which has been the staple of contemporary post-Jarrett Euro-jazz pianists for decades now.

On ‘The Gathering’ Garcia might be Brad Mehldau had he come from Latin rather than North America; while there’s also folk-ish modes and odd metered grooves indebted to piano jazz with Middle Eastern origins by artists such as Avishai Cohen and Shai Maestro.

He’s ably supported by a Latin-charged, pin-sharp grooving rhythm section of Cuban ex-pats. On the title track, the outstanding guitarist Gilad Hekselman’s guest contribution offers a persuasive amalgamation of fusion, blues and pop. Contemporary piano trio jazz fans will likely demand more in the way of collective improv, but Garcia’s playing is often affecting, always high-spirited and never dull.