The Californian, New York-based ex-Steve Coleman trumpeter Ralph Alessi releases his second quartet recording for ECM with a telling change of personnel in which Gary Versace replaces Jason Moran on the piano. Versace, more familiar on the New York scene for his specialist organ playing, is a different proposition to the brilliantly idiosyncratic Moran, a less punctuating, more ambient accompanist as well as warmer harmonically. The recording in this instance has a more wistful and affective character than was the case on his debut Baida. Alessi’s compositions here are of a very high quality, and their connection to the improvisational passages is both seamless and organic. The rhythm section of Nasheet Waits – who was present on another trumpeter Avishai Cohen’s ECM debut last month – and Drew Gress are highly responsive yet unobtrusive with it. In his solos Alessi creates a tension between a tender, lyrical tonality and a pointed dissonance that has echoes of the late Kenny Wheeler. It is perhaps a more accessible side to this trumpeter than we have heard to date, as well as being a thoroughly outstanding piece of work.