This neat set of clean-cut originals and songbook covers is presented as a song cycle themed to reflect the American experience. Snidero's lilting ‘Duluth at Noon’ captures an average working day, the blues-drenched ‘Oxford Square’ a Mississippi main street while the ballad ‘Walla Walla’ is inspired by Native American mysticism. Snidero's writing mirrors his precise, dead-centred, technically accomplished alto sax, thus setting the US experience firmly at the centre of the mainstream. That said, his compositions stand up alongside covers of ‘Autumn in New York’ and Gil Evans wonderfully atmospheric ‘Las Vegas Tango’, which is the standout track. And the playing is top notch. Snidero plays clean lines with a fruity tone and sharp attack, and the rhythm section is supportive and imaginative. Cuban pianist Fabian Almazan, best known for his work with Terrence Blanchard, bustles with modal flow, while Linda Oh, confirming her growing reputation on bass, locks in with swinging all-seasons drummer Rudy Royston. Check out the trio taking off on ‘Streets of Laredo’.