Guitarist Nicolas Meier’s From Istanbul to Ceuta With a Smile released earlier in the year, a suite-based concept album featuring the virtuoso UK-based Swiss musician’s compositions, had a rigorously complex improvisational style teased out impressively on tracks such as ‘The Gate’. But its successor Kismet, to be released now on 18 November, is something very special, an album that doesn't come along every day. Meier on his signature 11-string, fretless glissentar as well as acoustic and jazz guitar, is joined by the very fine six-string Scottish bass guitar player Kevin Glasgow and drummer Laurence Lowe (a revelation last year playing live with Robert Mitchell’s Panacea), plus percussionist Demi Garcia and several guests again including violinist Lizzie Ball who featured on the earlier Ceuta album and also with a lovely cello part from Bernard Gregor-Smith on the beautiful ‘Reflections’, plus guest guitarist Cenk Erdogan on a couple of tracks. Kismet (MGP Records**** RECOMMENDED) is Meier’s best album to date, and it’s one of the strongest albums I’ve heard all year. From the opening unstudied arrangement of ‘Giant Steps’ to the excellent rendition of Django Reinhardt classic ‘Nuages’, a joyous take on ‘Besame Mucho’ and more besides, Kismet, with Meier’s characteristic flamenco and Turkish music influences and extraordinary technique, here only ever at the disposal of the music, is a must.

Nicolas Meier, with Glasgow, Garcia, and Lowe, preview music from Kismet at the Kings Place Festival in London tomorrow at 1.45. www.kingsplace.co.uk