Album: Tord Gustavsen Ensemble, Restored, Returned (ECMM)

Norwegian pianist Gustavsen tempts fate by departing from his winning trio format for a darker, denser quartet sound, with the excellent post-Garbarek saxophonist Tore Brunborg added to piano, bass and drums (the superb Jarle Vespestad once again).

But the big surprise for trio fans will be the Macy Gray-sounding vocalist Kristin Asbjornsen, who croaks the words of four W H Auden poems (all selected from Another Time, 1940) which Gustavsen has set to music. The quartet are touring now.