Tchicai, Kohlhase, Fewell Good Night Songs Review

John Tchicai's recent outings with Spring Heel Jack may have brought him back into the public eye, but were arguably not the best setting for this gifted if somewhatmercurial saxophonist.

Here he's in a trio with guitarist Garrison Fewell and fellow reedsman Charlie Kohlhase, recorded live at what sounds like an intimate gig at a Unitarian chapel in 2003. It's an unusual instrumental line-up but the threesome's invention and discipline mean that there's a lot of colour, dynamics and space on these two discs.

Stuffed withfolkish melodies, airy, bop-inflected improvand spacey ballads,this is abeautiful, emotiveset. Kohlhase impresses as much as Tchicai, and Fewell's pure, gimmick free approach is a breath of fresh air. Delightful stuff, and it swings too.