If you skip the opening voiceover band introductory track, this turns out to be an interesting and pleasurable album featuring some talented young musicians we've probably never heard of before. Leader Chicagoan Marquis Hill, 29, appears to have won every competition that he's entered and after a number of small label CD releases, he's been signed by Concord Jazz to represent the jazz-cum-hip hop generation. He is an excellent improviser with a conception that could be traced back to Clifford Brown and the title track shows his tradition/today approach – an original which ends up as Gigi Gryce's far from overworked classic ‘Minority’. Other jazz standards featured here include Donald Byrd's ‘Fly Little Bird Fly’, Herbie Hancock's ‘Maiden Voyage’, Monk's ‘Straight No Chaser’ and a little-known tune by the underrated Carmell Jones, ‘Beep Durple’ – all given new leases of life by Hill's and Kendall Moore's arrangements. Great American Songbook contributions include soulful versions of ‘My Foolish Heart’ and ‘Smile’. Of the supporting players in his Blacktet, promising altoist McBride ironically recalls the style of the above mentioned Gigi Gryce – and bassist Joshua Ramon makes the most of his several bass solos. Worth checking out.