Live, the Marsalis Quartet have a swagger and joie de vivre that hasn't quite been captured on record until this release, which is probably the best realisation of the group on CD to this point. The core group has been together since 1999, and with the departure two years ago of Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, the young, highly talented Justin Faulkner joined the group having earlier impressed when he sat in with the band at 18 years of age. The new man brings a lighter touch, and far from disrupting the mutual empathy of his fellow band mates built up over years of playing together, seems to suggest he is an inspirational presence. There is some assured, elegant playing by Marsalis on this album that jauntily opens with ‘The Mighty Sword’, with its bebop inspired theme that is gradually unravelled to reveal an episode of powerful swinging jazz that is the essence of this band. Highlights include ‘Whiplash’ that sees Marsalis soloing with jazz bass and drums accompaniment, the simple but effective ballad ‘As Summer into Autumn Slips’, ‘Endymion’ and a solid, yet effective reading of ‘My Ideal’. There is a bonus track tucked onto the end, a homage to Sidney Bechet called ‘Treat It Gentle’ where Marsalis on soprano saxophone shows that there is much inspiration to be found in the pre-bop masters.