A double CD set that effectively celebrates the return of the Lighthouse Trio for a 20th anniversary tour, and, if things go to plan, a return to the touring circuits.

All of which is most welcome, especially as Lighthouse, in its heyday, was being spoken of by influential German and Scandinavian jazz critics as a band that could potentially become a major voice in European jazz. Conflicting career commitments put an end to that, but all three return older and wiser – Garland as a result of his work with Chick Corea, Simcock as a result of his association with Pat Metheny and Sirkis with Soft Machine, Emma Rawicz and artists associated with the MoonJune label.

They bring a lot to the table, and are featured in trio on the first compact disc on a series of Garland originals that presents jazz improvisation of the highest order. While Garland’s long-form settings for strings and the integration of the written and the improvised are compositionally and conceptually impeccable, Lighthouse steal the show.

First time around, the trio never quite realised that their music was greater than the sum of the musicians making it. If Moment of Departure is anything to go by, this time around the same holds good with brass knobs on.