The Experiment series continues. Following Philadelphia, Detroit and Harlem, now comes Chicago. As has been the modus operandum to date the session brings together leading players in the given location, which inevitably means a band of bandleaders. That said, pianist Greg Spero is the driving force this time round insofar as he is the sole composer of the material, which obviously provides a clear thread throughout.

This is also problematic because the bulk of the songs settle into an ultimately underwhelming space between mellow balladry and electric fusion that doesn’t quite get its funk on, with the more explosive energy of which the players are capable, certainly Jeff Parker, being restrained rather than unleashed. It is a shame too that Makaya McCraven’s programming and production skills were not deployed more often. With the greatest irony the most engaging piece on offer, ‘Tiny Beat’, which has some tricky and teasing audio shimmers over a shuddering groove, is just a 90 second interlude that is not allowed to size up to a full-length track. It is a missed opportunity. With talent this good the music could have been bigger not smaller.