Mace Hibbard, born in Texas and now living in Atlanta, played sax and arranged the horns for several years as a member of the Derek Trucks Band. Here he leads a traditional quintet (sax, trumpet, piano, bass, drums) on their second CD. This is up-to-date & improvisational, but not avant-garde, ensemble jazz—accessable, likeable, and straight-ahead. The sound on most tracks is rather forceful and muscular. Compositions by Hibbard (except tracks 5 & 6).

All instrumental. No FCC issues.

1. ** Long, hi-energy solo lines by sax then trumpet, with solid rhythm section. Fast. (5:38)
2. * Slow, soulful ballad. Sax & trumpet play beautifully in unison then separately. (6:56)
3. * Slow & powerful. Piano, trumpet, sax each have good extended solos. (6:45)
4. ** Tricky meter and complex, soulful, bluesy melody on sax. Think of Coltrane. (7:34)
5. Slow love song, famously done by Willie Nelson. Surprising good. (6:44)
6. By & featuring the pianist. This one swings in sort of an old-fashioned way. (5:26)
7. Slow & lyrical. Piano states a 6-note theme, which the group extends & develops. (6:30)
8. ** Very fast, very peppy. A real toe-tapper. Impressive solos from all. A lot of fun. (4:32)
9. Mid tempo. Not as hard driving as other tracks. Sort of cool & thoughtful. (7:03)
10. Slow & easy to start. Bass has a fine solo. Louder & mid tempo to end. Elegant. (7:05)
11. ** Syncopation on drums, a little funk on bass, some fine horn solos. A bit Latin. (5:05)
12. * Another lovely ballad to close. This is the best of them. Turn down the lights. (3:51)