Matthew Halsall is the rare jazz trumpeter who forgoes the virtuosic solo in favor of lyricism and mood. Eloquent and introspective, his melodic lines unfold simply and carefully over lush and unhurried grooves. His arrangements for string quartet are exquisitely sorrowful, but even when a larger ensemble augments his songs, there is something essentially sparse about his approach. His introspective style calls back to the spiritual jazz of the ‘70s. The music is always full-bodied and soulful, but feels close enough that you can reach out and touch the timbre of every instrumental voice.