Playing both electric and acoustic bass, Matt Booth modernizes vintage hard bop with Steve Lands/tp, Sam Taylor/ts, Oscar Rossignoli/p-key and Peter Varnado/dr on this album of originals. Booth makes the bopping hot for the horns on “In Tongues” and leads the clippety clop beat on “Time To Spare”. Rossignoli’s keys give a soulful pulse for Lands to tap into his inner Lee Morgan on the crackling “Optimal Chunks” with the groove getting deep on “Ice Bear”. Taylor gets a chance for rich tones on “Happenstance” and the autumnal “Otero Canyon”. Strong biceps of bop.