As he had done with Wayne Shorter’s and Miles Davis’ music, Denny Zeitlin covers the songs of George Gershwin with imagination, passion and a deeply personal touch.

Black Sabbath called it a career 10 years ago with ’13,’ an album that mixed and matched sounds from every one of their classic eras.

Stylistic influences aside, Jim White’s ‘(The Mysterious Tale of How I Shouted) Wrong-Eyed Jesus!’ is honest, original, un-glossed country at its best.

With a little help from his friends in Toto, Steve Lukather has produced one of the best solo works of his stellar career.

Michael Formanek is once again leading a high-powered quartet, and ‘As Things Do’ is as fresh, thoughtful and vigorous as anything he’s ever done.

Metallica divided its fanbase 20 years ago with ‘St. Anger.’ But if you give the LP an honest second chance, it might offer surprising new revelations.

The Claudio Scolari Project’s ‘Intermission’ is a collective leap of faith, and these guys positively thrive in it.

Alex LoRe’s ‘Evening Will Find Itself’ a set of musical chapters that likewise stretches modernist jazz to the frontiers of what is possible.

Steely Dan stalwart Donald Fagen’s second solo album ‘Kamakiriad’ arrived 30 years ago as a somewhat-overlooked testament to creative genius.

Illegal Crowns’ new album ‘Unclosing’ is maximal jazz from a band full of advanced composers and prodigious improvisers.