Kim Paterson: The Duende (Sarang Bang Records)

Auckland trumpeter Kim Paterson has been around for perhaps as long as most jazz listeners can recall but has been poorly represented on albums under his own name. In fact I'm scratching to think of even one . . . although he was on albums by such important groups as Dr Tree, Space Case and Jazzmobile of which he was a key member, and more recently has appeared alongside Gianmarco Liguori and Murray McNabb as they explore the periphery of improvised music and space rock.

Paterson is at home in all these worlds, and has the respect of his musical peers across the generations. Witness who is on this nine track, exploratory album which reaches across post-bop, Brazilian and standards and into pure studio improviation. Here are Mike Nock, Nathan Haines, Migeul Funetes, Kevin Field, McNabb, Olivier Holland, Jonathan Zwartz . . .

That is, if nothing else, a generational spread from a new one coming through, Haines who has almost assumed mid-generation status now and to those closer to Paterson's age.

The music here is also equally broad in reach from a sublime treatment of Ritchie Powell's ballad Time (which Paterson generously hands over to Nock for a gently deconstructing solo after his own a languid exploration) to a vibrant and gently bustling Sheriar's Dream which follows where Roy Venkataramen's guitar comes in with sharp laser accuracy after Paterson's warm flugel tone and Haines flittering soprano.

The studio improv Headspace with Nock, bassist Zwartz and drummer Nick McBride reveals itself slowly and stretches itself steadily into a fast walking pace for Nock's solo before pulling back gently.

The standout is Paterson's original Daaman (which he notes he wrote a long time ago) as a lament for talent taken too soon. With Nock sensitively discreet, Paterson on trumpet and Haines on tenor get to the soul of the mood without resorting to sentimentality. It is the kind of piece best played in maturity when those losses seem greater and require more consideration.

Paterson and friends may have taken a while to get this album out under his name -- sessions seem to have been scattered over years and locations -- but it has been worth the wait. He's promising another soon. Let's hope so.

Like the sound of this? Then there is plenty more jazz of all persuasions at Elsewhere starting here.