The Circling Sun: Orbits (digital outlets)

Auckland's The Circling Sun – whose 2023 Spirits debut we called “utterly entrancing” – is a collective around drummer, producer and arranger Julien Dyne and saxophonist Cameron Allen -- both having appeared at Elsewhere many times – tapped into 1960s Latin American jazz and bebop.

But this new album sees them push even further into new sources, which should come as no surprise to intelligent listeners.

Just as coordinates in rock culture shift, so too in jazz which is in a constant state of reinvention.

Two decades ago, for example, very few were talking about the late saxophonist Pharoah Sanders or pianist/harpist Alice Coltrane, but now no self-respecting music lover – jazz or otherwise – would be without some of their spiritually-inclined albums.

So this time out The Circling Sun reach even further with their amalgam of Afro-Cuban sounds, John and Alice Coltrane, multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef and the Brazilian groove of Milton Nascimento, Airto Moreira and vocalist Flora Purim.

It's a sound both soulful and sophisticated, as much for the head as the feet.

The seven minute-plus opener Constellation pulls together these threads (warm synths, yearning John Coltrane, Chick Corea, their own Love Infinity Choir on backing vocals); Mizuand the percussive Flying go further down a vibrant Brazilian route and the mood drops for the beautifully understated Amina.

Wynton Marsalis spoke of music containing a lot of information. This ensemble includes musicians who have worked with Avantdale Bowling Club, Nathan Haines, Iranian-born Chaii, Relaxomatic Project and Dave Dobbyn.

That's a lot of background information brought to this seductive, sometimes humid and engaging Latin jazz-influenced album.

Utterly entrancing Part Two.

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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here.