For the purposes of jazz industry marketing, Jones may be profiled as the great post-bop hope, nouveau Freddie et al. But he's always been much more than a wannabe Hub-toner, and his firm grip on the soul music aesthetic lends his work something of an edge. Paring his ensemble down to a quartet that gives maximum exposure to the sound of his horn and character of his phrasing. This latest release primarily makes the point that Jones is a stellar ballad player who understands that the trumpet, in the right hands, is one of the great vehicles for romantic expression in any form of music. So although the dancing latin strains of some of the pieces are well handled by the leader and accompanists it is when all the players settle into love song mode that they make their strongest statements. Jones' overall poise and very precise control of intonation, especially on muted horn, mark him out as a musician who understands that ‘chops’ are only impressive if they are deployed with a sharp focus, so the flourish of some of his lines is offset by beautifully spaced, hushed motifs. Although less overt than on previous recordings, Jones' embrace of the music of Ramsey Lewis, Roy Ayers and Earth, Wind & Fire is just as important as his study of Clifford Brown and the aforementioned Hubbard. This breadth of formative references and their intelligent channeling are most welcome. This is a strong step forward from an accomplished artist.