The jazz trio of Benjamin Koppel/as, Scott Colley/b and Brian Blade/dr teams up with conductor Martin Yates and the Odense Symphony Orchestra to interpret the rich compositions of Anders Koppel on this two disc release. Koppel has a bright, Jackie McLean-styled sound to his alto sax, and the rhythm team of Colley and Blade is both intuitive, flexible and swinging. Colley delivers a rich solo intro to the noirish “Stranded in a Strange City” with Koppel sounding like he came out of a B movie, while pretty on “The Last Mulberry”. The orchestra gives a Hitchcockian atmosphere via the strings on “Bandits’ Roost” and “Tommy The Shoeshine Boy” with Colley and Koppel in a lush mood for “ The New House”. Blade keeps everything kinetic on “Minding the Baby” and the team gets atmospheric for “Blind Man”. The orchestra lays out for the encore of the alto saxist’s composition/encore “Puerto Rican Rumble” which has the team get into an irresistible groove. Most of the time, these jazz and strings sessions get in each others way; here they work like long time friends.