I hope it doesn’t sound insulting if I say that Shropshire guitarist Lee Jones’s second album as leader is above all tasteful. If you’re a fan of six-string crunch and histrionics, Songs From The 13th Hour probably isn’t for you, but if your interests stretch more towards chilled fusion, then this collection of tuneful originals (bar one) shows the Birmingham Conservatoire jazz course graduate to be an emerging talent. The writing is pleasantly memorable, and the playing impressive throughout: Jones leads from the front but never overplays his hand, demonstrating a touch and technique reminiscent of the likes of modern masters such as John Scofield and Larry Coryell (with whom he duels entertainingly on ‘Game On’). There’s another neat guest appearance on the title track from Jean Toussaint, while cool funky grooves dominate ‘The Spin’ and ‘Iconic’, and a Pat Methenyesque vibe marks ‘Western Escape’ and the fine multi-tracked solo closer ‘Silhouette’.