Alive, Edition ****

The gathering sense that Phronesis, the piano trio led by British-based Danish bassist Jasper Høiby, is about to make it very big on the international jazz scene is reinforced by their third CD. Revolving around Høiby's powerfully mobile bass ostinatos, Phronesis' groove-centred music has a visceral attractiveness on these beautifully recorded live sessions made in March. If that were all, the results would quickly pall, but the trio's capacity for dialogue is gripping. For this, much credit is due to pianist Ivo Neame, whose inventiveness, lyricism and ability to maintain coherence both "inside" and "outside" the material (all composed by Høiby), is remarkable. With US drummer Mark Guiliana deputising superbly for the trio's regular percussionist, Anton Eager, they reach a collective high on Love Song, a zestful 14-minute, many-layered example of extended interplay. See editionrecords.com