This vinyl reissue makes a good epitaph to pianist-composer Michael Garrick, who died just two years ago at 78. Originally commissioned by the BBC, this set of six originals contains typical moments of his baroque showmanship. The title track is in 11/4 time and features the composer on harpsichord for the theme. ‘Song by the Sea’, a line for flute and muted trumpet, features Garrick on celeste. ‘Sweet and Sugary Candy’ is a slow-medium ‘I Got Rhythm’ with scored riffs over the solos, and ‘Webster’s Mood’ is for tenor titan Ben of that ilk, with an appropriately Ellingtonian feel. Garrick’s first choice for this sextet would have been trumpeter Ian Carr, who operates here in his economical Milesian mode, spiced with occasional touches of busier Clifford-Brown-style fluency, Don Rendell, though overshadowed by the mercurial Tubby Hayes at that time, was also noted for fluent and creative sax. Despite the sleeve notes I’m pretty sure he plays tenor, his principal horn, here as well as alto and soprano. Philip’s solos do not measure up to the other players’ contributions, but his section work is fine. Bassist Goode gets his bow out for some Slam Smith-style work here and there and Trevor Tomkins completes a crisp and cohesive rhythm section. Garrick himself is in fine form, soloing with a jaunty flourish that was distinctively personal, very English and otherwise difficult to categorise. Inevitably he found it difficult to maintain a high profile across all the decades, yet let us not forget that he was always respected by fellow pros and uniquely worked only as a bandleader throughout his long career, a remarkable feat.