Guitar virtuoso Nigel Price leads his trio (organist Ross Stanley and drummer Matt Home) through a mind-boggling set of contrafacts – original tunes based on the harmonies of standards. That’s the first disc of this two-CD set. On the second he plays the standards themselves on solo guitar, sometimes overdubbed. For brilliance of execution I can’t imagine anyone surpassing either set, but this is not just for guitar buffs. Inventiveness, originality and ensemble playing are terrific too. Add guest saxophonists Alex Garnett and Vasilis Xenopoulos on the first disc and it’s almost too much to take in. Price is a dynamic live performer. He’s currently touring with the trio, so catch him if you can.
