The young Scottish alto saxophonist Rachael Cohen – who studied at Birmingham Conservatoire and recently made London her home – was the pick of the newcomers at bassist Michael Janisch's Whirlwind Records festival at Kings Place late last year. She has previously contributed to Tommy Smith's Youth Jazz Orchestra and John Hollenbeck Big Band but is more concerned with intimate ensemble play in her quartet debut, Half Time. She's primarily a ‘cool school’ player but as well has that spontaneous edge and ability to shape her phrases expressively, and her sound can lie somewhere between the vocalised exuberance of Art Pepper and the more thoughtfully spacious, postwest coast contemporary UK altoist Martin Speake. While recent jazz graduates tend to sometimes rather arrogantly overlook experienced sidemen in favour of their mates, Cohen on the other hand sagely selects the tastefully robust guitarist Phil Robson, co-leader of Partisans, who does a great job in a supportive role alongside her fellow native Scottish Kit Downes sideman/bassist Calum Gourlay and other Birmingham conservatoire ex-alumni James Bashford. A four star welcome for Ms Cohen.