Acadia is a reincarnation of Patrick Cornelius' co-ledTransAtlanticquartet that toured prolifically from 2006-9 and released an eponymous album along the way. It signals a change in direction for the quietly established New York-based alto saxophonist. The stimulus is the ‘great outdoors’ of Acadia, the spectacular rocky coastline of the Northeastern tip of Maine, which has inspired Cornelius' originals on his fourth release for long-time associate/bassist Michael Janisch's Whirlwind Recordings. Programmatic jazz of this kind isn't always noteworthy but this is an exception. The themes are mostly on the folky side, with a Celtic-ish kind of feel, creating an airily pastoral ambience in keeping with the bucolic source of inspiration, while the ensemble's sturdy, animated rhythmic backbone reflects its rugged terrain. Throughout there's an engaging group counterpoint, and a sense everyone's moving in the same direction. Janisch and Luxembourgish drummer Paul Wiltgen vigorously drive things forward, and occasionally they might recall French bassist Henri Texier's boldly anchored folk-based grooves. Estonian- born pianist Kristjan Randalu sounds in his element contrasting infectious folk-dance figures with a few tender explorations of the album's more meditative moments. The compositional balance over the entire album is also just right. Janisch's Whirlwind recording imprint has had a particularly good year for releases and this album is up there with the best of them. Way of the Cairns is probably Patrick Cornelius' most striking project yet.