Following his Mercury-nominated solo CD Good Days at Schloss Elmau recorded for Munich's ACT label in 2012, the acclaimed English pianist Gwilym Simcock makes a quick return to his favourite artistic retreat in the Bavarian Alps. But this time he has company in the similarly heavily classical-influenced Russian bassist Yuri Goloubev, the pianist's close collaborator since joining his trio in 2009. In spite of the geographical distance there are close parallels in their upbringing; both are virtuosic classical prodigies who relatively late turned their back on a career entirely dedicated to interpreting classical repertoire in concert halls, for the freedoms associated with improvising and playing jazz. The recording shows how far they are tuned into each other's sensibilities, so much so perhaps that one wonders whether a certain spark is missing in the improvisational dialogue, an unpredictable element that occurs when opposites meet and attract. Nevertheless the conversation remains graceful and fluidly contrapuntal, an acoustic chamber jazz in which Simcock draws from French impressionist and romantic era composers as well as his love of Keith Jarrett, while Goloubev's share of the compositions pushes the programme as well towards his Russian classical heritage. Neither focuses on the melancholic or reflective as might a more typical Eurocentric ‘third stream’ set, and both musicians demonstrate a playfully percussive side of their playing that seems to draw from both the ‘classic’ latin-y bop and fusion idioms (both are Jaco fans). Duo Art is the kind of jazz that lovers of pre-20th century classical music might dream about.