Tony Malaby’s ‘Turnpike Diaries Volume 1’ features these seasoned masters stretching out under an expressway over two long jams as few can do in such a coordinated way, each able to sense what the song is headed and react with infallible instincts.

Pat Metheny’s “Road to the Sun Pt. 2” stands as a testament to the beauty of classical guitars put in the service of a sumptuous arrangement.

‘Thollem’s Astral Traveling Sessions with John Dieterich’ tingles your auditory senses because this is breaking new ground and they’re defining the whole dobro/synth genre as they go along. There might not be two musicians better equipped to be the first at doing that.

Saxophonist Richard Elliot represents the best of smooth jazz: fluency on his horn, catchy melodies and tight production values.

It’s not just a preponderance of fresh ideas that makes Russ Lossing’s album ‘Metamorphism’ work so well; they are ideas that fit right with the people chosen to carry them out.

This Van Morrison favorite is a perfect fit for David Starr’s expressive boy-next-door voice and sympathetic arranging skills.

Norwegian master Borge Olson’s ‘Music in the Dark’ is reminiscent of guitar-based Euro-fusion from the ’90s, with a large dose of frenetic hair-metal vibes.

Michael Gregory Jackson’s ‘Frequency Equilibrium Koan’ is a communion of loft jazz musicians who weren’t just among the best of their time, but of *all* time.

The piano/vibraphones duo isn’t exactly a new concept, but Satoko Fujii and Taiko Saito take that concept to places it’s never been before. The exotic places they visit make ‘Beyond’ a trip well worth taking.

Suzanne Ciani joins Ross Boissoneau to discuss career-shaping albums by Vangelis, Glenn Gould and Roxy Music.