No, I hadn’t heard of composer/bassist Huergo before, although he has a 60-session discography, according to Tom Lord’s Jazz Discography. Again, though, those recordings were largely concerned with artists based in Massachusetts, the home state for the Whaling City Sound label. Unknown or not, this is a hugely accomplished big band, brim-full of confidence and handling some demanding charts (all by Huergo, bar ‘Deluge’ by Wayne Shorter) with considerable verve, the soloists similarly forceful and happy to play at length.

Huergo says the arts exist "to elevate our spirits" as a kind of counterbalance to "the relentless absurdity in our daily reality" and who’s to say he’s wrong? That said, it’s his ‘Consciousness of Reality’ which opens, the ensemble flute-led, the piece developing over a series of punchy brass-bound passages much as Maria Schneider’s do, Huergo on electric bass, with vibrant solos by Buss and DiMuzio (all soloists are identified, thankfully). ‘Ornette’ is dedicated to the sax giant, electric bass to the fore again over rock-patterned drums, the ensemble shouts also flute-led, an array of soloists playing chase. ‘Vidalita’ is carried by flutist Musayelyan, the writing quite solemn, and simply lovely.

With 11 pieces to consider, it’s perhaps pertinent to pick out ‘The Illusion of Hope’, dedicated to the late Russian dissident Alexey Navalny, the writing elegiac and richly hued, altoist Chase featured. I liked the oddly intricate finisher, ‘Groove Odds’ too. The blurb says the album is a ‘testament to resilience, hope, and the enduring power of music’. Sounds about right to me. Superb music throughout.