Two ex-Limelight albums combined, and featuring the short-lived 1960s Mulligan sextet, together with a couple of live tracks for good measure. ‘Nights Lights’, the first album's title piece, opens with its simple melody conveyed in a few limpid piano notes as Farmer enters, understated, Mulligan chording gently behind him, Brookmeyer similarly discrete, piano reprising the melody. Farmer takes off on ‘Black Orpheus’, his tone slightly pinched, Mulligan on baritone this time, also subdued, Brookmeyer more assertive, Hall subtle. Mulligan plays ‘In The Wee Small Hours’ on baritone, beautifully, but almost sotto voce, the playing throughout the album laid back rather than overt, bass and drums barely heard, Hall inserting his perfectly placed chords. ‘Festive Minor’ has Farmer in thoughtful mode, his line quite pristine, Hall soloing with brio, Crow and Bailey swinging quietly. Neat frontline finish.

The ‘Butterfly’ session raises the temperature a tad and earns the fourth star, with ‘You'd Be So Nice’ kicked off by Brookmeyer in more ribald mode, raucous almost, Mulligan and Brookmeyer playing games at the end. ‘Blues Roots’ has GM at the keyboard again, trombone more assertive. Hall opens ‘Old Devil Moon’, Mulligan giving this venerable tune a lift, Farmer fluent and quite spiky, with pacy rhythm, Hall chording, Farmer leading the final resolution.

‘The Ant Hill’ is positively heated, each player excelling and all getting their say. ‘Line For Lyons’, a Mulligan staple, is taken carefully as befits an old friend before ‘Night Lights’ reappears in a slower orchestral version, Mulligan playing the theme on clarinet. Finally, it's back to ‘The Ant Hill’ again, live from Newport, complete with a German announcer's introduction, rougher and brighter.

So, a game of two halves: the first somnolent, the other fully awake. Not essential perhaps, but worth investigating.