Helena Kay emerged from Guildhall garlanded with awards and her 2018 debut album Moon Palace showcased a remarkably confident player and composer who was happy to eschew the contemporary London trends to set their own course: less flamboyant, more closely linked to the tradition, with a poise and clear, direct melodicism that belied the underlying complexity of their carefully wrought compositions. That careful, considered approach is evident in the five-year gap between the debut and this equally poised follow up. Kay is a self-avowed Rollins fan and you can hear it in their big warm tone and clean, uncluttered style: opening track 'Amor y Amargo’ has an easy swinging melodicism that makes it sound like a rediscovered nugget from the Golden Era, with additional echoes of Getz's sounds from the 1960s.

Previous collaborators Calum Gourlay and David Ingamells return, as well they might since their own carefully deployed virtuosity, rooted in the history of the music but thoroughly alive to modern developments. is a perfect match for Kay's own approach. Peter Johnstone expands the trio to make the harmonic statements overt and add deft solos and unobtrusive comping and he's an equally sympathetic addition. Together they explore Kay's compositions that take us on a trip showcasing their influences: taking the sophisticated mainstream of the opener as a starting point we are politely invited to consider in turn a well-scrubbed Tristano-esque take on drum 'n' bass, a beautiful ballad with hints of ‘Naima’ in the theme, a tribute to Carla Bley in pastoral free-time euro-jazz and a nod to Kay's Scottish roots. ‘Tuesday Club’ has a exciting drum and sax duet and a sprightly NYC-flavoured theme that stands out. This is a subtly enchanting record from a quietly outstanding musician that repays repeated listening.