German drummer Haffner (born 1965) is a regular on ACT and put this band of his ‘favourite artists’ together for a 13-concert German tour last November. This double album comprises 40 tracks culled from various of these concerts. Given that Haffners’s predilections are for jazz fusion, one might assume that he sought out and attracted the cream of its crop here. He certainly thinks so.

In that this will seem like a surfeit of riches for fusion fans and given the exigencies of space, it’s perhaps pertinent to highlight just a few of its tracks here. ‘Soulbop’ is classic fusion, formulaic, with repetitive ensemble figures heralding Evans’ anaemic soprano leadoff, balanced by repeated brass riffs, underpinned by rock-style bass-guitar patterns, the drumming limited to stabbing patterns. Better things happen on Nat Adderley’s ‘Walk Tall’, the ensemble sound full-blown and directed towards swing, keyboard and bass building the foundation as trombonist Landgren sets off on an expansive solo outburst, both technically eye-watering and startlingly self-indulgent before Brecker comes in as the saving grace, the jubilant theme returning. Haffner’s ‘You Dig’ emphasises its composer’s own lack of subtlety, his drumming heavy-handed with only the mitigating delight of Dell’s vibes alongside Oslender’s keyboard work to raise the spirits. Evans vocalises and plays in lively fashion on ‘Bones From The Ground’, with Landgren calmer, the mood markedly less frenetic. Potentially interesting as a concert souvenir but that’s about it.