JAZZ

It is hard to avoid the feeling that the bassist has tried to push as many commercially attractive buttons as possible in the course of this disc. The prevailing ambiance is a cool chill-out vibe with a distinct jazz-lite feel, underlined by vocal contributions from Ben Cullum (Jamie’s brother) and guitarist Michael Stevens, who sings on the only cover version on the disc, Sting’s ‘Every Little Thing She does is Magic’.

I find it hard to get excited about any of this, but the soul, funk and electronica grooves are certainly accessible to an audience beyond the hardcore jazz crowd, and the playing and production is predictably classy. Guest musicians including drummer Manu Katche, saxophonist Dave O’Higgins and pianist Andrew McCormack.