Flight is an important step in the career of Dave Stapleton and marks a temporary break from his quintet that has largely defined both his writing and performing career. Embarking on the ambitious step of combining a jazz quartet with the classical string quartet, the result is far from the usual “Is it fish or is it fowl?” question that bedevils such collaborations. What emerges is a well integrated, thoughtfully conceived project that harnesses the potential of strings to change the texture and tone of the traditional jazz ensemble. Inspired by his father's exploits as a crew member participating in the Whitbread Around the World Race in 1974 has enabled Stapleton to exploit the wide range of compositional and thematic possibilities that the changing moods of the sea might suggest. What emerges is often inspired writing supported, contrasted and juxtaposed by Neset's suave saxophone and the leader's own thoughtful, probing piano. Most of the writing is throughcomposed, escaping the cyclical theme-solos-theme to better serve the nature and concept of the project, which stands as one of the best conceived and executed albums by young British jazz musician for some while.