The background to this highly welcome release is explained in the booklet essay by writer David McKee. Back in 2011, the Scots-born veteran saxophonist/composer Duncan Lamont assembled an orchestra of top pros, young and established, to revisit the score he had created years before for McKee's children's TV series The Adventures of Mr Benn. Originally written for a smaller group, Lamont's clear-eye for a strong melody and witty writing means that each of these pieces, initially programmatic in their approach and now augmented, offer all sorts of rewards. Wheeler solos on several tracks, but it's the way Lamont voices the ensembles and deploys the likes of Panayi's flute and piccolo that makes this music so distinctive and fresh. Trombonist Andy Wood is heard at length on ‘Mr Benn’ and trumpeter Martin Shaw is plaintively eloquent on ‘The Dragon's Tale’, other soloists sprouting out from everywhere, notably the trombonists on the very perky ‘Coming Home’, jaunty themes coloured by clever juxtapositions with strong playing from everyone. Talbot, usually known as an altoist, solos so pleasingly on tenor on the mellow ‘52 Festive Road’ that one can only regret that he is busier with session and pit-band work than jazz these days. An unexpected delight throughout.