This album – recorded as part of the ‘musig im pflegidach’ series at the titular Muri venue in Switzerland – breaks new ground for boutique vinyl label Newvelle as they move into the live recording arena. As with other releases from the imprint, which is now five years into its successful vinyl-only subscription model, this vibrantly brisk performance features an interesting artist in a less familiar line-up. Thus, fast-rising guitarist Hekselman is heard in a fleet postmodern ‘organ trio’, with the dazzlingly inventive Parks on various keyboards and the lithe stick-work of drummer Scott. The lack of a bass instrument allows both guitarist and keys man to play catch with various keyboard and octave-pedal enhanced guitar basslines, which in turn creates a sparse, bouncy feel to the band. There's a similar dancing quality to Hekselman's slippery melodies and solos, which feel rooted in a Metheny-like lyricism, but with a welcome quota of angularity and grit to avoid the clichés of smooth fusion. Parks is a vastly underrated player (he's a personal favourite, for sure), and it's his synchronicity with the axeman here which creates some genuine sparks, artfully batted around by the ever-creative Scott. Cramming the highlights of a night's music making onto two sides of an LP means the album whips through knotty jazz-rock, languid Americana, a blues, a ballad and a bass-heavy blowout. With crisp sound and gorgeous gatefold packaging, this sets a high bar for the rest of the Muri series.