Since leaving her native Japan 30 years ago, Hirabayashi has immersed herself in the vibrant Copenhagen jazz scene, releasing no fewer than 10 albums during that period. This latest offering from the pianist and her Danish band The Weavers has an austere, sometimes meditative and sometimes spiky quality of the sort familiar from countless nordic jazz albums over the years. The difference with Gifts is that the jazz is mashed up with the influence of George Frideric Handel. This is most obvious on ‘Up River’, which wittily quotes the main theme from the latter’s 'Water Music'. ‘High Tide’, the fugue-like opening track, is more reminiscent of Bach, although the overall feel of this album is a long way from Jacques Loussier.

The title track, meanwhile, is redolent of the snowy northern wastes, while the 6/8 excursion ‘Surely’ is somewhat livelier. The meandering, rather eerie ‘Echoes’ apparently takes its cue from Handel’s D-major violin sonata.

The album is at its best when the band settles into more structured playing. And while it may not appeal to everyone, the idea of basing jazz compositions on the very different music of the early 18th century is an intriguing one.