The quietly influential saxophonist Chris Speed’s CV reads like a Who’s Who of some of the most essential contemporary rock/ electronica-savvy, alt. jazz of the last couple of decades. The following list says it all really: Human Feel, Tim Berne’s Bloodcount, Dave Douglas (in his prime), Jim Black’s AlasNoAxis and The Claudia Quintet. Yet albums with the Seattle-born reedsman’s name on it are few and far between. This superb new disc, his trio’s second release, should change all that. It’s a spunky, yet craftily understated sax trio and Speed’s vocalised, shapely melodic jump-cut phrases join up Lester Young to a version of Albert Ayler that’s not simply concerned with disturbing the neighbours. Ayler’s ‘Spirits’ is one of two covers alongside the Hoagy Carmichael evergreen ‘Stardust’. The Bad Plus’ Dave King and Chris Tordini are a rhythm section that can groove or swing in any kind of genre, whether drawing from straightahead, grunge, punk, post-rock or latin music. But it’s Speed’s tenor sax, with its clarinet-like timbre and fragile yet mesmerising tone that’s always the centre of attention. For this writer, definitely the pick of this month’s releases.