Shifting Paradigm Records is an enterprising Minneapolis-based label which seems to have made a speciality of releasing surprisingly good albums by musicians seemingly unknown here in the UK. This latest trio of releases is a case in point.

Oman-born Kaviraj's debut as leader, Fables, is a confident set of compositions, backed up with stellar playing by the leader and his band. It's an enaging Middle-East-meets-India-meets-jazz mashup that really works. Kaviraj learned much of his craft as a sideman to the likes of Steve Cole and Wynton Marsalis, as well as from his musical educator father; on this evidence he's a natural musical storyteller with a great future.

Don't be put off by the title of bassist John Christensen's sophomore album Soft Rock. This isn't a collection of smooth covers of Eagles or Bread tunes, but rather eight original Christensen compositions, all of them anchored with insistent bass grooves (the great Chris Wood was an early mentor). The opener, ‘The Loudest Whisper’, hooks you straight away, and the mood is consistently up (a ballad or two aside) from then on. Time spent touring with Maria Schneider and Miguel Zenón has also rubbed off on his compositional chops.

Rounding off this threesome is Tides, the debut as leader of German-born, New York-resident guitarist Philip Webendoerfer, who comes with an endorsement from none other than Pat Martino. His guitar lines are clean and elegant, but also tough and full of tensile strength when they need to be; here he's backed by his regular rhythm section, and they understand both his playing and his compositional intent perfectly. Star guest Dayna Stephens provides superb and simpatico sax accompaniment, the icing on a very tasty jazz cake.