The role models of these players is fairly obvious, with pianist Connie Crothers sometimes emulating her teacher Lennie Tristano a little and tenor saxophonist Lenny Popkin sounding like a lighter-toned version of Warne Marsh. However, both Crothers and Popkin have developed their own musical personalities, and their improvising is often a bit freer than that of their influences. On a variety of originals, some of which utilize the chord changes of standards ("Beyond a Dream" is based on "All the Things You Are," "Soul Sayer" is a disguised "Body and Soul," and "Time Step" is really a themeless "All of Me"), the quartet's lead voices (with support from bassist Cameron Brown and Lennie's daughter Carol Tristano on drums keeping a steady pulse) create stimulating interplay and colorful improvisations.