It’s a blink and you’ll miss it sort of gig. Just one night, a “school night” at that. But if you're in central London on 9 September and you still haven’t managed to catch Elan Mehler live then a trip down below street level to the Pizza Express Jazz Club might well and truly open your eyes. Mehler is still in the cult pianist bracket (witnessing the transition from cult player to concert hall favourite is as tricky as making it your mission to see the Northern Lights). The New Yorker's latest album featuring the likes of ‘Come Rain or Come Shine’, ‘Don’t Explain’, and ‘It Never Entered My Mind’ probably won’t change that perception of Mehler as a well kept secret of a player, though, for now. But it might make the devotion of the Mehler fanbase burn that bit more brightly as the originals here on Early Sunday Morning (Challenge), including ‘Abigail’s Waltz’, are the ones that stand out on what is an approachable solo piano album. As exciting a player as Brad Mehldau was when he first emerged from obscurity Mehler now in his mature prime might not have anywhere near Mehldau’s outrageous technique or sense of danger at his beck and call but he certainly makes up for it in teasing out evocative mood music at will. Mehler is at the Pizza with his trio of bassist Chris Jennings and guitarist/cellist Karsten Hochapfel, according to the club's website.