Fandango: Provença Sessions

Everything is suddenly alright with the world when an album comes along and blows your mind: especially when it's from an artist you respect and enjoy, but whom you feel has been resting on his laurels recently. Scintillating, sublime, stupendous – let's pull out all the adjectival stops for this one from Kepa Junkera, Basque trikitixa player (that's the button accordion to you and me) extraordinaire and France's Melonious quartet. Fourteen Junkera pieces, heard on previous discs from him, are re-worked with this iconoclastic ensemble, who each play a different size of mandolin. The set bristles with vitality, due to innovative arrangements by their lead Patrick Vaillant.

The quality and clarity of play is thrilling, busting any mould you might like to fit it into. Hints of Mediterranean, South American, Renaissance classical and other musical styles come into play for a fine range of fandangos, the popular Spanish folk form that takes on different characteristics depending on the region. Trikitixa rhythms played with agile dexterity by Junkera zip in and out of mandolin layers that shift between accompaniment and succinct solos. Melonious' cutting-edge classical background deepens the emotional depths of Junkera's music, using the broadest palette of light and shade. If I have one beef it's that, while the music speaks for itself, the scant liner notes consist merely of a greeting in Basque, Spanish and French, apart from some photos. Junkera has a healthy English-speaking audience and there's no excuse for lack of information.