The accurate phrasing and dynamic range of Finland’s disciplined UMO Jazz Orchestra bring to life the episodic narratives of Mats Holmquist’s aesthetic right from the word go. ‘One Million Circumstances’, the first of a clutch of the Swedish composer’s originals, begins with fanfare brass over pedal point piano, takes in jaunty swing and cruise control funk and switches meter and key. The following ‘Summer and Winter’ bookends a broody modal groove with a chirpy, brightly harmonised tune; the final track, ‘Always Young’, a memorial to Holmquist’s grandmother, showcases Randy Brecker’s lyrical warm-hearted flugelhorn. Elsewhere, covers of Chick Corea’s ‘Windows’, ‘Crystal Silence’ and ‘Humpty Dumpty’ bring out Holmquist’s control of texture and the Orchestra’s dynamic range, ‘All My Things’ and ‘My Stella’ breathe new life into the standard repertoire and the ballad ‘Never Let Me Go’ features velvet voicings and poignant Brecker trumpet. Though the on-song American is the standout lead voice, pianist Seppo Kantonen notably avoids the generic and saxophonist Max Zenger follows the tricky contours of ‘Humpty Dumpty’ with neat phrasing and airy tone. Neither are filler, but Brecker relishing the subtleties of Holmquist’s arrangements lie at the heart of this album’s success.