I was tempted to begin playing this disc at track 11, a cover of Hendrix's ‘Crosstown Traffic’. I love Hendrix and I love jazz, so whats' not to get excited about? In truth, this hard-edged cut from Electric Ladyland is hardly the most obvious candidate for a straightahead jazz treatment. Guitarist Yotam Silberstein provides an enjoyably molten solo, but the other covers here – Irving Berlin's ‘What'll I Do’ and Leonard Bernstein's ‘Maria’ – prove matter that's more readily digestible by leader Jay Lawrence and his collaborators. For the most part the material consists of smartly penned originals that flit in mood and motivation from latin to swing to bop. The writing is strong and there are some terrific solos: the aforementioned one by Silberstein, but also Terell Stafford's razzle-dazzle trumpet on ‘Slide’, while Renee Rosnes is here, there and everywhere, and you can always rely on tenorist Harry Allen to provide his fair share of quotable lines.