The combination of baritone saxophone and guitar in jazz is so rare, says John Hart in the liner notes of this album, that he can think of only one previous recording with this instrumentation – a collaboration between Mick Goodrick and John Surman. However, British jazz fans would be quick to remind him of a collaboration between Surman and John McLaughlin (one that's revered as a classic of British jazz) called Extrapolation. And Surman had actually replaced Glenn Hughes (who was originally slated to play the session). Hughes was brilliant Brit bari virtuoso who flared brightly but died suddenly of a drug overdose. So there is small, but eloquent precedent for this combination, particularly if you include Surman's collaborations with oud player Anouar Brahem – well, a bit of poetic licence, the oud is thought to be a predecessor of the guitar. Here, the combination of baritone and guitar works well, the gruff earthy tones of the saxophone contrasted by the smooth and supple lines of the guitar. Hart and Smulyan are both eloquent masters of what might be dubbed the modern mainstream, and here they explore six Hart originals plus the standards ‘Everything Happens to Me’, ‘Night and Day’ and ‘Isn't It Romantic’. Hart's originals are well crafted, shaped and honed by a lifetime's study of the Great American Songbook, and while there are no surprises (on an album like this it might have the effect akin to someone calling the vicar a liar mid-sermon) this album nevertheless comprises fine music played well.