There can’t be that many record labels originally hailing from Huddersfield in west Yorkshire, and certainly not many as quietly inventive as Jellymould. The tiny indie, founded just seven years ago by Dominic Sales and Phil Gregory and home to fine Austrian guitarist Hannes Riepler who’s now hosting the new Sunday night jam at the Vortex, is next month preparing to release the second album by the band Aquarium. Places, now set for an 11 March release, is a quartet led by pianist Sam Leak above who has also written all the music on the album. It follows on from a 2011 self-titled debut that impressed Jazz FM’s Helen Mayhew who commented at the time: “Sam Leak is one of the brightest young stars in the jazz piano galaxy.” Going on to organise jam sessions at under-the-radar Greenwich jazz spot Oliver’s, Leak on Places is joined on most of the nine tracks by the band of reeds player James Allsopp, best known for his work in his band Golden Age of Steam and before that Fraud; Calum Gourlay (member of Kit Downes’ trio); and Troyka drummer Joshua Blackmore, the prog jazz outfit that features Downes on organ and was nominated for a Jazz FM award recently. The spiritual ‘Marrakech’ is one of the highlights of the album, with Allsopp reaching a Charles Lloyd-like level of intensity in the arc of his improvisation, while Leak has a quietly captivating essentially modally-based playing style throughout the album. Aquarium are touring soon and on the eve of the album launch play Pizza Express Jazz Club in London on 10 March, followed by dates including Seven Arts, Leeds (7 April); Spotted Dog, Birmingham (9 April); Dempsey’s, Cardiff (10 April); The Geldart, Cambridge (24 April); Lescar Hotel, Sheffield (1 May); and Vortex, London (30 May). SG