Four decades after his passing, Langston Hughes, literary icon of the Harlem Renaissance movement of the 1930s, continues to inspire musicians who can hear the melody so strong implied by his texts. Hence American guitarist Hatfield joins the likes of Billy Childs, Gary Bartz and Courtney Pine in interpreting selections from what is a vast oeuvre. His 13-piece set showcases a strong ensemble whose dominant sound is often close to the bristling bossa nova vocabulary of 1960s Brazilian legends Baden Powell or João Gilberto and the standard of playing is unerringly high. The ‘boogie woogie rumble’ that underscores ‘a dream deferred’ is convincingly captured. Indeed, there are some real highlights in the set, none more so than the dark caress of ‘Prayer (2)’. That said, the sequencing of the programme, which is a key strategic choice for any work that is supposed to be a complete, self-contained song cycle, could possibly have been revised just to create a touch more light and shade between the pieces. Furthermore, Hatfield could consider throwing out a confrontational curveball around the halfway mark to convey the heart-stopping moments Hughes worked into his texts. Forgoing the flute, bass and guitar, and arranging at least one track as a voice-percussion duet, so as to impart starkness to the sound palette in keeping with the more searching lyrics might have worked well, especially with Steven Kroon's raking berimbau riffs. Hatfield has a worthwhile project here and it has every chance of evolving into something greater if more lateral thinking were applied.