In the classical repertoire, pianist George King runs the gamut from pre-Baroque to modern and has performed at the Carnegie Hall (he’s practised, lady, practised). He’s also an established jazzer, and on this disc he’s paired with another classical-jazz performer, saxophonist Carl Raven. The eight compositions, all penned by King, are described as ‘songs without words’, and they certainly have a narrative feel, melodic and harmonic considerations taking precedence over improvisational brio; interplay between piano and sax is carefully mapped out, with subtle electronics introduced to add atmosphere. Five of the tunes are inspired variously by the pleasures of family life and the loss of a friend. Another trio of tracks King says offer “pictures of chemically-induced scenes from my life”: ‘Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride’ is all agitated stasis; ‘And I Danced Among the Clouds’ is languidly elevated, with some elegant lines from Raven; ‘Mingus Trip’ portrays what is described as “a Fear and Loathing-style episode” – clarity and order nonetheless reign for the most part.