As the son of Ralph Cherrie, who along with Russell Henderson and Sterling Betancourt was one of the Trinidadian steel-pan players who helped to bring the instrument to prominence in Britain in the 1950s, Mark Cherrie has a fine pedigree, to say the least. This well conceived and executed debut underlines the understanding of, and ties Cherrie has, to that rich heritage, all the while showing him to be a player with a contemporary outlook. First and foremost, the eclectic repertoire, which moves seamlessly from ‘standard’ jazz standards such as Wayne Shorter's ‘Footprints’ to new standards –Pat Metheny's ‘When We Were Free’ – to rock and pop staples (‘Little Wing’, ‘Scarborough Fair’, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’) is appealing. Cherrie has the clarity of phrase and articulation to suit the setting of an acoustic quartet, and the ensemble hits a creative peak on the most fraught and plaintive of melodies – Stan Tracey's ‘Starless And Bible Black’. The deep yearning vibrato of the pan is a potent substance for the unforgettable theme, while the brooding hush of the rhythm section serves the mood just as effectively. Cherrie's own originals are also good value, but it is his blend of the unusual and familiar, which is part and parcel of the history of pan reaching right back to legendary ensembles such as Invaders, Despers and Hellfighters, that makes this a highly enjoyable, culturally ‘authentic’ piece of work.