The guitarist Will Bernard has occasionally been referred to as a musician deserving of more recognition. There is however no lack of such appreciation among his musical peers including the premier cast assembled here on a new recording, his 12th as leader since 1998. Back then Bernard was making a breakthrough as a member of the saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum's Hieroglyphics Ensemble and played on Don Cherry's Multikulti album. He's been an experimental coast-to-coast NY downtown guitarist since working with Stanton Moore's B3-guitar trio, Tom Waits and Charlie Hunter among others.

On Pond Life the guitarist-composer follows a trail from Ornette to Hendrix, Beefheart and country blues through to Sco funk and Frisell/Ribot's downtown fusions. He uses effects frequently, restlessly at times but in an understated and discerning way, knowing when's the right moment to put his foot down or not, while utilising space in a way that develops ambience.

Heavyweight guests - organist/pianist John Medeski and saxophonist Tim Berne - make their presence felt while committing to the soundworld of the leader's wittily-crafted set of tunes. Not to underplay the role of drummer Ches Smith and Craig Taborn, sideman/bassist Chris Lightcap, whose grungy grooves are some of the best bits about Bernard's crunchily off-centre, psych/alt.rock-fuelled brand of jazz.

He's due some four-star love and recognition here, for sure.