The Quiet Nights Orchestra

Although their name may conjure images of a stiff, stuffy and decidedly run-off-the-mill jazz ensemble slooshing out limp, elevator-tested Brazilian numbers, thankfully the Stockholm-based the Quiet Nights Orchestra are anything but. Blending an unrelenting stream of classy, top-flight musicianship with a toe-tapping, youthful spirit constantly calling out for an open piece of floor space, the eight-member band deliver a record in Chapter One that should have listeners setting down there drinks and looking for a little more room to move. When present, the sweet tones of singer Sofie Norling (with her over-pronounced English phrasing) are a joy to listen to, her fresh delivery leading the brisk, galloping charge of "Swell" and helping breathe new life into her crew's creative interpretation of classic "Fly Me To The Moon." But it's when she steps back from the mic that the band take flight, pumping out a sound brimming with spirited horn turns, brash piano licks and feisty, often Latin-tinged percussion. As first chapters go, this is quite a beginning.