FRANCESCO CAFISO
New York Lullaby
Venus
*****
Astonishingly, the 16-year-old Cafiso made this masterly album last year, a few months before Happy Time, his CamJazz debut featuring his own compositions. Here the concentration on standards allows a greater appreciation of his maturity and possible influences. The main one is Phil Woods, with a touch of Adderley, although on the blues-based Willow Weep for Me Cafiso's preaching evokes Sonny Criss. Despite his age, however, he has already forged them into an instantly recognisable musical personality. Cafiso is unfazed by the seasoned New York players backing him - David Hazeltine (piano), David Williams (bass) and Joe Farnsworth (drums) - and his playing in this straight-ahead setting is nothing short of great. His skills will take him further afield in the coming years; meanwhile, just enjoy. www.cadencebuilding.com

JOHN DONALDSON
Music Box
Woodville
***
Pianist Donaldson's first recording as leader in 13 years is a delightful trio album with Oli Hayhurst (bass) and Asaf Sirkis (drums). And though there's nothing that would make the natives restless, it's rather more than an accomplished gallop over familiar fields; Donaldson is too good for that. There's a buoyancy and a wealth of beautifully articulated invention about the best performances: striking pieces like Hey There (taken at a medium-up 3/4), Bobby Timmons's blues Dis Here, and Donaldson's originals, the Spanish-feeling Pearl's Song and his elegaic, gorgeously harmonised Petrucciani, a solo salute from one brilliant pianist to another. Donaldson deserves to be better known; craftsmanship as good as this hardly lurks around every corner. www.musicconnection.uk.org

BUD SHANK
Taking the Long Way Home
Jazzed Media
***

Veteran altoist Bud Shank's first big-band album as a leader, recorded live last year, is distinguished by some fine charts by the likes of Bob Florence and the late Manny Albam, with further excellent arrangements by Shank, the late Bob Cooper and the band's trombonist, Mike Barone. Considering that rehearsal time must have been tight, they are played with notable elan. It's also interesting to hear a big-band arrangement of Bill Evans's Waltz for Debby, but it's Barone who steals the show with his writing on Rosebud, Limes Away (based on Limehouse Blues) and a lovely ballad, The Starduster. Shank takes almost all the solos and, well though he plays, more room for the likes of Carl Saunders (trumpet), Andy Martin (trombone) and Lanny Morgan (alto) would have added colour to a good album. www.JazzedMedia.com