The Stan Tracey Quartet 'Starless And Bible Black' (Columbia, 1965)

Sublime, dark brown jazz from the 60s Brit Jazz school. I was introduced to this by Gilles Peterson's excellent 'Impressed' compilations, the song coming in on a rumble of drums and a rolling piano line, sax entering and building the mood. The rumble then stops, leaving a clearing of crisp, perky bass and spare piano in which the sax can express itself a little more freely.

The tune displays such poise and elegance, it's almost ponderous but maintains an self-confident momentum all the same. Little flourishes of piano, bass and drums build out the sound and keep the focus shifting constantly.

The song and the sound keeps evolving, shifting between moods and displaying some gorgeous interplay before returning to the opening section and drawing to a close.

And then you put it back to the start.