The strength of this album lies in its arrangement and orchestrations. I loved the quirky piano break on ‘Tomorrow Tomorrow’. ‘Sunday’ brought Nick Drake to mind. These 16 interpretations of songs by Elliott Smith are very cleverly done.

‘Figure in Blue’ on the cover is Charles Lloyd, the gifted, innovated saxophonist, who is enjoying a renaissance. On the title track ‘Memories of Duke’ (Duke Ellington) both he and pianist Jason Moran excel. The album opens reverently with ‘Abide with Me’. ‘Desolation Sound’ showcases Lloyd at his fluid best as he unleashes flurries of notes with a deft piano solo in its midriff. ‘Rumination’ is a bit more abstract than expressionist. ‘Chulahoma’ evokes Delta Blues. Two track