This multi-generational paean to the art of vocalese not only introduces a superb new quartet – project instigator and soprano Amy London, alto Holli Ross, tenor Darmon Meader, and bass Dylan Pramuk – but also pays fulsome homage to ‘The Royal Bopsters’. The latter is a quintet of outstanding vocalese pioneers, all of whom feature on the album: Mark Murphy, Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross, Sheila Jordan and Bob Dorough. An absolutely consummate song list includes a stunning reimagining of Murphy's vocalese version of Freddie Hubbard's ‘Red Clay’, with Murphy soaring spectacularly in the lead role, Hendricks joyously scatting on album opener ‘Music in the Air’, Jordan's heart-warming delivery of ‘Peace’ (movingly appending ‘for Horace Silver’ in her closing phrase), Ross' touching eulogy to the jazz icons who've passed on, and Dorough's classic ‘Nothing Like You’, the first song he co-wrote with Fran Landesman. Providing beautifully apposite backing for their stellar guests, London's core quartet gets to stretch out on a number of cuts, with a deeply swinging ‘Just Step Right Up’ one of several standouts (outstanding work here by pianist Steve Schmidt). It's the kind of recording where so much incredible detail flies by in every bar that you're immediately reaching for the replay button when the final track ends.