Following the enthusiastically received live album Live At Belleville, which earned Arild Andersen the 2008 Prix du Musicien Européen from the French Académie du Jazz, the trio now releases a studio recording. Norwegian master bassist Andersen, Scottish tenor saxophonist Tommy Smith, and Italian-Norwegian drummer Paolo Vinaccia combine their musical powers at Oslo's Rainbow Studio in a collection of soulful ballads and mid-tempo, free-flowing sonic explorations. Particularly noteworthy is the interplay between Andersen's expressive bass and Smith's powerful tenor saxophone—a combination that also proved compelling on the album Celebration. The compositions on Mira are mostly by Andersen himself, though his trio partners also contribute original pieces. A surprising interpretation of Burt Bacharach's "Alfie," impressively performed by Tommy Smith, rounds out the album.
