Large-scale compositional projects in the UK have been thin on the ground since the 1960s and 1970s, when Mike Westbrook, Neil Ardley, Harry South, Tony Coe (Zeitgeist) and Laurie Johnson (Synthesis) were thinking big. Colin Towns flared brightly and memorably in the late 1990s, early 2000s while Tim Garland’s large scale endeavours deservedly enjoyed critical acclaim. It is perhaps fitting then, that Garland leads the jazz sextet (and conducts the strings) on this project by Paul Mottram, one of the most successful TV and media composers in the country.

With 28 stringed instruments – first and second violins, violas, cellos and double basses – the string ensemble is roughly half the size of the string component of a symphony orchestra. But it is enough within the context of Mottram’s concept, which is largely to avoid treading on the toes of the jazz sextet, yet integrate their presence in a way that justifies their existence by creating something greater than the sum of the two component parts.

In this he succeeds, probably better than he realises in the context of jazz’s Third Stream endeavours. The jazz sextet, for their part, contribute some exemplary playing wholly within the overall context of the composer’s intent. A Rolls-Royce project like this should be toured around the regions and enjoyed by as many people as possible.