‘More Figs And Blue Things’ is the engaging second chapter from the story of the young gifted alto saxophonist Alex LoRe.

Who would’ve thought, at this late date, that we’d ever see a book focused on Chris Wood, the spirit of Traffic?

The Beatles helped kickstart the Rolling Stones’ career with “I Wanna Be Your Man,” then made the song their own on ‘With the Beatles.’

There is a display of chops going on with Burnt Belief’s “Ghosts Aquatic.” It’s all there in the guise of subtle sublimity.

Mark Wade’s ‘Event Horizon’ is one of those albums you come back to time and again, because it has deep layers. One listen is never enough.

Franklin Kiermyer’s “Heliocentric” premiered here — and the rest of ‘Closer To The Sun’ — reintroduces the audacious idea of jazz as a living, breathing thing.

Both soothing and stimulating, Asha Tamirisa’s ‘Callus/Redux’ is yet another worthy contribution of avant-garde electronic music that’s gender-less in sound and not so gender predominant in origin

‘Dead Man Dancing’ is Ethan Keller up close and personal, warts and all. And you know what? He’s still sounding good.

Mats Gustafsson says it is vital to remain open, inquisitive and to explore music. With ‘MG 50: Peace and Fire,’ he does just that.

Ian East’s ‘Inner Paths’ is an ethnic fusion album that’s fun to listen to now and will be fun to listen to a hundred plays from now. Getting a world music education can hardly be more enjoyable than listening to this.