Ghanaian-born, Amsterdam-based trumpeter Peter Somuah may be one of the first African bandleaders on the German jazz label ACT but he is notable for more than any cultural breakthrough. At this early stage of his career, he shows promise for the future. While Somuah has an attractively broad, warm tone and phrasing that is stealthy and well measured rather than excessively athletic, he also lays down a marker as a composer, picking up, certainly in terms of themes explored on Letter To The Universe, from his previous release Outer Space.

Stylistically, the material is a synthesis of jazz and African musical traditions, especially Ghanaian highlife, and runs the gamut from warm, reflective balladry to uptempo dance tracks to mildly dub inflected moods. There are both creative peaks and troughs along the way. At times the riffing threatens more energy than it delivers, which is not helped by a mix that takes the edge off a rhythm section that can also be a touch too restrained, while some arrangements need more light and shade.

Yet there is a big cast list here, and Somuah uses his collaborators well, none more so than vocalist Stevo Atambire, who is quite imperious on the album’s highlight ‘The Sky’, which has a sizzling 6/8 groove and juddering guitar licks that would find favour with any club crowd. While it is shame that this degree of imagination isn’t maintained throughout Somuah nonetheless takes an interesting step along what will hopefully be a fulfilled developmental path.