There is, more often than not, a few big name contributors to bassist Kyle Eastwood albums. From his expansive Vince Mendoza-arranged debut (Joni Mitchell was a guest vocalist), a mega famous dad whistling on 2004's Paris Blue through to his recent, most jazz-rooted album Metropolitain from 2009 – a big improvement on the anodyne nu-jazz funk of the previous Now – that boasted a line up featuring Eric Legnini, Manu Katché and Till Brönner. But, for the new one for Candid, the bassist, now in his early-forties, turns to his touring UK-based quintet. The album title is a little misleading in one respect; there aren't any vocals here. Eastwood, whose father's unflashy yet solid, vibrant presence seems to have rubbed off on him as a bassist, pitches somewhere between post-Miles chilled funk, smooth 1970s R&B-jazz and post-bop on the recording. With homes in both Paris and LA, Eastwood escaped to rural France and a 15th century chateau in Couronneau, Ligueux as a source of inspiration. His compositions though make up a more diverse musical postcard: from the Sketches of Spain-ish ‘Andalucia’ and a catchy soul-jazz trip to ‘Marciac’ with Graeme Flowers and Blevins' sturdy hard bop-ish solos through to the soul-fusion jam of ‘Down at Ronnie's. ‘Soul Captain’ is a standout track with its languid melody worthy of ex-collaborator Manu Katché and a typically shapely, engaging Andrew McCormack piano solo.