Tim Warfield's meaty tone, sharp articulation and carefully constructed themes have strong roots in the soulful, boundary-nudging Blue Note aesthetic of the mid-1960s. His compositions are carefully constructed and rich in harmonic subtlety and he plays tenor sax with a nuanced swagger that brings phrases to life and makes difficult things sound easy. As a result, the finesse of his playing has been somewhat overlooked – he won Downbeat's Talent Deserving Wider Recognition in the 1999 critics' poll – and could easily win it today.

This quintet album, re-uniting him with long-term colleagues, is unlikely to change his insider status, but comes recommended. Trumpeter Nicholas Payton is confident in the front line; bassist Rodney Whitaker is textbook solid and drummer Clarence Penn a real box of tricks. Standout, though, is the leader's empathy with pianist Cyrus Chestnut, who also deserves to be wider known.

The opening blues is sly and slinky; ‘Ramona’s Heart' is a beautiful ballad and the two-part ‘Tide-a-Dish’ hints at free jazz without breaking barriers. ‘I Remember You’, played as a waltz, is the only weak link of a strong set.