When Brandon Seabrook does a solo banjo and guitar project as he did with ‘Object of Unknown Function,’ there’s even more of his uniqueness to ponder, appreciate and – yes – enjoy.

A band that pairs a Fender Rhodes player with a pianist and no bass perhaps shouldn’t work, but with sheer flair that not only overcome that challenge, Kira Kira utterly thrives in it.

‘Dog Days of Summer’ might be called “jazz-rock,” but like anything else Satoko Fujii undertakes, she does jazz-rock on her own, uncompromising terms.

After helping other artists come into their own, Josh Johnson’s time has come with ‘Unusual Object,’ an album that elegantly operates in the vanguard.