Approaching his 70th birthday, trumpet maestro Natsuki Tamura made the very personal ‘Koki Solo’ with a youthful frivolity that belies his age and signals that he remains in his peak period.

Guitarist extraordinaire Julian Lage’s ‘Squint’ is the record of an established veteran composing, playing and leading on a high plane.

The challenge for listeners to keep up is also central to the thrill of listening to ‘Cool With That’ by the improvised music supergroup East Axis.

“What’s Going On” by bluesman Boo Boo Davis and the ElectroBluesSociety isn’t the Marvin Gaye classic, but it’s liable to move your soul, too.

Kiefer’s satisfying rendering of this classic Crusaders tune is a fine entry point to their sublimity, as well as the L.A.-based keyboardist’s next album of the same name.

Michael Bisio, Kirk Knuffke and Fred Lonberg-Holm are artistic rebels as Robert Henri was, but their music isn’t outside just for the sake of being outside.

‘Confabulations’ wasn’t made with the public in mind, and that might be why this makes such a great entry point for the avant-garde side of Duck Baker.

On ‘Telepathy,’ long-established veterans Denny Zeitlin and George Marsh act like young upstarts, showing the jazz world a fresh new approach.

As Anthony Braxton continues to push forward one of America’s greatest art forms, he also takes opportunities to demonstrate just how jazz got to be so great.

‘Be Ready When I Call You’ is the unvarnished blues that comes off earnestly, because Guy Davis is a seasoned storyteller and a messenger of hard truths, balanced by a humble wit.