Jazz musicians have long exercised the right not to make jazz, and Australian guitarist Quentin Angus, previously noted for his wily technique and tasteful performances, has made what is essentially an accomplished left of centre pop album in which the voice of Michael Mayo and several original melodies which have a calm composure are well to the fore. An excellent band well anchored by drummer Nate Smith and bassist Desmond White ensures an artful blend of drive and restraint, which resonates vividly with the finer shadings of Mayo’s falsetto, especially when he opts for wordless sounds that suit the languorous ambiance of a piece such as ‘Enigma.’ Even more pleasing is the reprise of a dyed in the wool classic such as ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ which is given a new level of tension and melancholy by way of a dark, teasing vamp and a smartly swung solo section, in which Angus’ guitar is complemented by finely wrought scat from Mayo. The quality is maintained throughout the rest of the set, which occasionally evokes that golden period in the mid-1980s when the likes of Bobby McFerrin, Jack Bruce and Tuck & Patti were all plotting an interesting course through pop that liked jazz and jazz that liked pop.