It may or may not be because of a recent series of programmes about Impressionist art on British television, combined with a passing knowledge of intoxicants, but for some reason the album title Meadow Of Dreams suggests one of Claude Monet's paintings of a field of poppies.

As it happens, Monet's poppy paintings are a good fit for Toronto-based alto saxophonist Brodie West's sophomore album with his acoustic quintet. The music is beautiful, sunny, uncorrupted—and a million miles from any association with Monet's near contemporary, the poet Charles Baudelaire's altogether darker Flowers Of Evil.

The sound and vibe may surprise European listeners, for West is best known here for around a decade of work with the Dutch anarcho-punk-meets-free-jazz band The Ex, in particular on the group's albums featuring guest artist Ethiopian tenor saxophonist