Francesco Cataldo was born in Sicily. He is a musician of great sensitivity and, as a prolific composer his work is heavily influenced by life in the Mediterranean. Save one piece by his sole compatriot here, the equally evocative pianist Salvatore Bonafede, all 13 tunes are Cataldo’s. All have haunting melodic lines that evolve, often into quietly contagious grooves, logically and flowingly. For his New York session, Cataldo is joined by three of contemporary jazz A-listers, who blend seamlessly into the spirit of the leader’s compositions, with Binney at his most empathetic and appealing in his organic solo spots. Scott Colley, as always, chooses just the right notes and, when the occasion arises, is a driving force. As for Clarence Penn, he plays in that skittering style centred on the kit that pervades almost every NYC record at the moment. Am I alone in wondering if it’s becoming a bit too prevalent? This CD is extremely long. There’s over 75 minutes of interesting conversational music by a quintet of sympathetic souls.