Pianist/composer Sam Leak's Aquarium includes some of the most promising young talents on the bustling UK scene, and Leak knows just how to use them. His charts are gnarled enough to give these young guns something to think about, but spacious enough to let them stretch out. Saxophonist James Allsop finds his own sweetly melodic way through the harmony, while the rhythm section (bassist Calum Gourlay and drummer Joshua Blackmore) lays down some relaxed, loose-limbed grooves. Leak himself impresses, both as player and composer, because he's not afraid to wear his influences on his sleeve. The imprint of Keith Jarrett's American quartet is particularly evident, but the group manage nevertheless to carve out a space of their own. By not trying too hard, Aquarium achieve plenty.
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