This set of original pieces sounds so familiar. Yes, it's a classic quintet format playing pass the solo, but there's more to the familiarity. Karjalainen draws deeply from the jazz of the 60s and 70s, and he has found a sound that is at once stirring and accessible.

Mikko Karjalainen Fellowship Quintet featuring Paleface Fellowship (Eclipse Music)

And--there is probably no way to say this without it sounding like a backhanded compliment--these pieces sound like extended versions of certain 70s TV theme songs and scores. You know, all those great Quincy Jones and Lorenzo and Henrietta Music snippets of wonderfulness. Channeling that low-key vibe through late bop is pretty amazing.

Paleface does a couple of spoken word pieces backed by the band. Largely, though, this remains a Quintet outing. Always assured and never hurried, the sound is solid and engaging. This is not a journey into the unknown. It is a restatement of unquestionable quality.

Yeah, the sort of album that can be appreciated by the non-jazz folks out there. Again, that's a compliment. Karjalainen and his crew know their jazz inside out. And they mix things up nicely here. A real joy.

Jon Worley