Cumbria-born double bassist Gavin Barras composed the material for this debut recording in the back of a car returning from a gig in August last year to the backdrop of images of the summer riots on his TV. The gig is memorable for all the wrong reasons since Barras had just played at Ronnie Scott's Brit-Jazz Festival on the night of a Frith Street power cut, and much sympathy went out to Barras who had to attempt to play his double bass in Manchester-based trumpeter Matthew Hallsall's Quintet both acoustically and by candlelight. It was hard to hear as well as see him. On Day of Reckoning the Glossop-based Barras treads similar ground to Halsall in its inspiration from the preaching modal jazz era of the 1960s. But Barras’ raw sound and energy distinguishes it from Halsall's more chilled, clubcontemporary vibe. Released on quintet member Manchester-based pianist Steve Plews’ ASC label, Day of Reckoning opens with ‘Billy Harper’, on which the experienced hard bop tenor saxophonist Ed Jones pays tribute to the titular saxophonist's intensely soulful, post-Coltrane style, with a funk-fuelled sinewy solo. Jones is formidable throughout and the set otherwise contrasts exquisitely lyrical low-light ballads with freer groovebased material and tracks that sound like abstract imaginary film noir scores soundtracking the landscape of the riots at the time. Vibraphonist Corey Mwamba adds a vibrant colour to the band, shifting from hypnotic vamps to inventive splashes of harmony that echoes on occasion the experimental modal territory of Bobby Hutcherson. Barras is a dependable bassistleader, playing fat and resonant at all times. Though it scores few points for originality, there's plenty of commitment and creativity here, and the grooves are hip in the best possible sense.