Kikoski is probably more familiar to many as a sideman, albeit a most impressive one. His website claims he has played on over 100 recordings, 14 of which have been under his own name. There are many accomplished musicians, especially in that jazz hotbed of New York, who work very well in a band but disappoint as leaders. Kikoski is not one of them. While he is an impeccable supporter when that is his role, the more time and space he has centre-stage, the brighter he shines. This is a terrific album – much more inventive and varied than the programme – a mix of originals and standard modern jazz tunes – might at first suggest. He brings out the stride in Thelonious Monk's ‘Trinkle Tinkle’, the richness of harmony and romance in Jerome Kern's ‘Smoke Gets In Your Eyes’, the poise of Chick Corea's ‘Mirror Mirror’, and the country-jump in Pat Metheny's ‘H&H’. His originals are strong and he is very ably abetted in his search for the new angle by Martin and Faulkner. And, my heavens, can this band get the boil roiling! Just try Kikoski's own ‘Switching Roles’. Most strikingly, Kikoski achieves that really difficult, seeming contradiction: serious depth of artistic thought conveyed with lightness of attitude.