Certain aspects of this recording are immediately inviting and bear mentioning. First, is the audio quality. This is Kaestli's debut for Chesky Records, and the label goes out of its way to make sure its albums have a pristine sound. While Chesky might be marketing to audiophiles—since this is an SACD Multichannel Hybrid Disc—the music is inviting enough to appeal to a broad audience, regardless of their audio gear. Once you get past the recording technology, you arrive at Kaestli's voice. His unpretentious tenor simply glides and floats over the band throughout these nine performances.

While each song has its own unique genetic markers in the arrangements and execution, certain formulaic similarities are apparent. The first thing to be noted is the tempo of each piece, with songs ranging from relaxed to extremely slow. Next, is the overall structural arc; many of these pieces begin with a single instrument—with Kaestli's voice moving over them—and then the rest of the group arrives. After some slowly soothing vocals, a soloist takes over; once Kaestli returns, the ensemble shows up again to fill in the spaces between his phrases. While this format becomes somewhat predictable, it never detracts from the music itself. Bassist