Canadian saxophonist Andrew Rathbun is now into double digits when it comes to bandleader credits. Previous projects have occasionally had a distinctive Canuck flavouring – Sculptures saw him join forces with fellow Canadian Kenny Wheeler while Rathbun set the verse of Ottawa-born writer Margaret Atwood on True Stories. The music on this latest release, however, has a grittily cool character thoroughly in keeping with the jazz traditions of Rathbun's current home of New York. The 11 originals thematically draw on the leader's experience as a parent of young children (‘Playpen’, ‘Crawl Out’, ‘Sleep Please’) but his super-sophisticated quartet's playing is entirely grown-up. Opener ‘Bad Call’ is an energetic blues boasting a snaking saxophone line and some smart, crossed-wires piano work from Phil Markowitz. The sweet balladry of ‘Tears and Fears’ has Rathbun stretching higher on soprano, while ‘Swing Set’ and ‘Counterpoint’ admirably fulfil the musical promises in the tunes' titles. The quartet are profitably supplemented on a couple of cuts by trumpeter Taylor Haskins.