For those unfamiliar with his name, Baptiste Trotignon emerged during the first decade of this century as one of the most talented and dynamic jazz pianists of his generation, recording several highly acclaimed albums for solo, trio and quartet line-ups on the Naïve label. Since then, the French jazz musician has gone on to establish himself as a composer worthy of serious consideration, as heard on this album of three recent works for orchestra.

Trotignon’s classical music does not always betray its composer’s jazz roots but the latter’s influence can be heard clearly in L’air de rien. This attractive and engaging concertino for piano and orchestra opens with an extended arioso-like melody – Trotignon stating the theme in octaves on piano against gently syncopated string accompaniment. After a minute or so the music shifts into more clearly discernible jazz territory, the opening melody passed to solo horn while Trotignon improvises bebop-like lines over the top. The middle movement begins with an extended cadenza on piano whose second half turns into a lively toccata. This then segues into a quirky tango in the third movement, which is brilliantly realised and characterised by the Victor Hugo Franche Comté orchestra under Jean-François Verdier.

Trotignon’s piano may be conspicuous by its absence in the composer’s tautly structured and shaped Hiatus & Turbulences for orchestra but its presence is nevertheless felt in the repeating-note idea heard during the first and last movements of the work, which is a characteristic feature of Trotignon’s jazz soloing technique. These repeating figures take the music down some unexpected rabbit holes, including more than a passing nod to the opening theme from the second movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. By contrast, the slow middle movement bathes in a kind of Ravel-like luxuriance.

Perhaps the only let-down on this hugely enjoyable disc is the main work itself, Anima. Described by the composer as his most ambitious piece so far, this 30-minute orchestral work rather lacks the subtlety, nuance and sophistication so evident in the other two works on this album.