Recently nominated for a Norwegian Grammy for this new release, the Danish-born pianist-composer Maria Kannegaard's long­standing trio have continued to refine their contemporary approach to piano trio for well over a decade. Her less-is-more mode of improv and melody is drawn from song-forms that have their roots in native folk, classical and church music (rather than jazz or Broadway pop) and the emphasis of the trio is on sonic minutiae and circular evolution. A rough approximation could put them in an area somewhere between Nik Bärtsch's zen funk, Ludovico Einaudi and Neil Cowley Trio. Far less frequently – although more of it would have been very welcome – the pianist veers into more improvisatory Keith Jarrett-esque territory and shows a similarly elegant restraint as on the track ‘Dere’.

For the most part though bassist Ole Morten Vagan and the influential drummer Thomas Strønen generate slowly evolving ambient textures or hypnotic grooves using extended techniques, sometimes in odd-meters, around Kannegaard's attractively spartan themes, or a cross-rhythm in tandem with a revolving piano motif. Although it's by no means a fresh approach anymore, you're unlikely to come across a more persuasive example right now of this particular brand of contemporary Euro piano trio jazz.