Montmartre-born trumpeter Jacques Coursil moved to New York in 1956 where he led the jazz life, making dynamic contributions to albums by the likes of Frank Wright and Sunny Murray.

Coursil died in June this year before the release of his Hostipitality Suite, and I'm wishing I could respond more positively to this last will and testament. The suite's title derives from the philosopher Jacques Derrida writing about the acceptance of the foreigner in a new land as falling somewhere between hostility and hospitality. This subject matter feels pertinent, and Coursil blends his trumpet with a floating carpet of synth harmonies and colours by Jeff Baillard to create a sober, reflective soundscape that is designed to feel claustrophobic and pensive. “Certainly boring for people who think that music is an entertainment… I conceived it like a painting”, Coursil tells us. Fair enough – but the music isn't not entertaining, or not boring, enough. The meaning behind his stylised recitation of Derrida's texts – and therefore the counterpoint between sound and text – is lost unless you can speak French to a high level. He certainly plays some beautiful trumpet, but rotating relentlessly around the same melodic cells in his mid-range becomes wearing. Which might well be the point. Another drawback: 25 euros buys you the album on vinyl, but you'll look in vain for a more affordable CD option.