Now based in both London and New York, the Ohio-raised veteran drummer Jeff Williams initially established his name on the US jazz scene in the 1970s and 80s as a sideman to sax giants from Stan Getz and Dave Liebman through to Lee Konitz and Joe Lovano. While you can't argue with that kind of pedigree, successive generations of post-bop musicians in the UK have been gradually coming to recognise the self-taught Williams as that rare commodity on London's jazz circuit: an American who has jazz in his DNA in both a social and cultural sense. Out of those discerning musicians, he's gathered a high quality UK-based quintet for his second recording for the frighteningly prolific Whirlwind label. It features the imaginative, supportive guitarist Phil Robson through to a few select musicians from a younger generation, including the adaptably eloquent pianist Kit Downes through to the impressive young Wayne Shorter-ish saxophonist Josh Arcoleo and upcoming bassist Sam Lasserson. Originals draw on the hard latin-influenced bop of Joe Henderson, Thelonious Monk and 1960s modal ambiences all the way through to funk-rock era Miles Davis/Herbie Hancock and Brazilian maverick Hermeto Pascoal. Outlier has a classy, lived-in feel that never glosses over this band's tough, restless spirit in performance.