Uplift Jazz Legacy****

Alexander belongs to the old, hard-swinging school of pianists epitomised by Oscar Peterson and Gene Harris, so a formidable technique is a given. To it he adds a Caribbean accent, a playful disposition and a capacious bag of musical allusions to fuel it.

Having a good time is the dominant mood of this collection of standards and originals, recorded live between 2007 and 2010 with his trio. Good though his grooving unit is, the piano is boss; this is no trio democracy.

In return you get dazzling good fun. It can be overstated, as in the intro to Django, but more often it's impishly clever, with multiple examples such as the Carmen opening to Sweet Georgia Brown, the witty quotes on the waltz-time Body And Soul, Django(again), an allusion-drenched Renewaland an irresistible I Just Can't See For Lookin'to sweep fans up in its well-crafted geniality.

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