The album presents a studio performance of leader and saxophonist Ken Stubbs with Django Bates on piano, Mick Hutton on bass and Martin France on drums, recorded over 2 days in March, 1989 in Norway.

Jazz commentator Richard Lehnert states "Well my first – and second and third-impressions of First House's cool, sculpted, heady music are of sustained fires of excitement, intelligence, and clarity.

"[3] Master saxophonist, David Liebman comments on how... "his (Stubbs's) playing is remarkably cliche free" and also states, "It is so refreshing to hear young musicians going for a group sound as their major goal.

[4] In Billboard Magazine, Jeff Levenson cites Ken Stubbs and Django Bates as examples of how "Great Britain's young turks have adopted him (John Coltrane) as a spiritual forebear.

The follow-up to the well-received 'Eréndira', 'Cantilena' is a relaxed, free form set with classy performances all round but some particularly fine playing from Ken Stubbs on alto sax.