An effective summary of Blue Note's current roster with the emphasis placed firmly on the strength of the soloists. Chances are you'll be familiar with the bulk of the bandmembers, who are all leaders in their own right with a welter of experience behind them. Which makes the key question one of cohesion and direction. For the most part the ensemble provides an engaging overview of contemporary jazz, well anchored in the waters of both Wayne-ish meta-bop and Herbie-esque fusion and the interestingly uncharted seas between. Akinmusire, Strickland and Loueke make for an impressive frontline. But there are more than a few moments where the ‘head’ of a tune is dispensed with too swiftly, so that the improvising can fully grab the spotlight, and the material appears subservient to the ‘chops’ on show. It's not that the players can't hold our interest, but they sometimes eschew the vital interplay and chemistry of a truly ‘together’ ensemble rather than a collection of fine players. That said, Loueke still has a jaw-dropping range of textures to unveil by way of his electronic trickery. Would maybe have worked better as a single rather than double CD.