Producer John Lee creates an unnecessary element of mystery by airily describing these tracks as “recorded at various concert halls and jazz clubs around the globe” but what the hell. Everything else about this pulsating album is as clear as a Jamaican sunrise. Pianist Monty Alexander has always been one of the great piano swingers and the departure in recent years of such great rivals as Oscar Peterson and Gene Harris has only accentuated his mastery. He's in top form here, grooving away with two excellent rhythm sections and creating brilliant new arrangements on the fly.

For good measure there's also a strong gospel flavour, supplied by material like ‘Battle Hymn’ and ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus’, and everything swings mightily, even at slow tempos. There's an invigorating rhythmic freshness even to such warhorses as ‘St Thomas’, ‘You Are My Sunshine’, ‘Night Mist Blues’ [also known as ‘Ahmad’s Blues'] and ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’. It's always a pleasure to hear Monty changing gear, and his frequent key and tempo switches keep a succession of excited live audiences in the palm of his hand. Feel-good jazz piano at its best.