It took nearly a decade for Adams’s Road Movies (1995) to make it to disc, and now its second recording comes hard on the heels of that pioneering account on Nonesuch. In fact, the repertory on this Black Box CD is virtually the same, save for American Berserk which (alas) is not included here. In Road Movies, violinist James Ehnes plays with sweeter, smoother tone than Leila Josefowicz, and he and pianist Andrew Russo opt for noticeably slower tempi. Some might argue that Ehnes and Russo get closer to the ‘Relaxed Groove’ Adams aims for in the first movement; I prefer Josefowicz and John Novacek’s tightly coiled energy, and the violinist’s pleasingly gritty tone suits the music very well indeed.

Russo and Ehnes offer a fine account of Hallelujah Junction (1996), with Ehnes here demonstrating his considerable skills as a pianist. The tintinnabular clangour of the opening section is marvellous, for example, though I still favour Nicolas Hodges and Rolf Hinds’s punchier, more playful performance. In China Gates (1977) and Phrygian Gates (1977), however, choice is harder. Russo is the more expansive and atmospheric interpreter, and he revels in the intricate detail of the figuration; Hodges uses the figuration to propel the music forward, providing an electric undercurrent. Yet Russo’s relative repose involves no loss of tension, and I found his impressionistic approach mesmeric. So the Nonesuch disc remains the one to get; the Black Box CD is a valuable supplement.