Album: Goran Kajfes & Subtropic Orchestra, The Reason Why, Vol 1 (Headspin)

The Croatian-Swedish trumpeter and composer's last release, X/Y, beat Björk to the Nordic Music Prize and became this paper's jazz album of the year.

His follow-up is a reworking of favourite tunes, beginning with a Balkan take on a Turkish pop song and ending with Brazilian lounge-meister Arthur Verocai's "Karina". In between come the progs. It's very much an ensemble affair, with the 10-piece band sounding like a spacier Jaga Jazzist.