Steve Million’s expressive playing is always a joy, but what’s particularly noteworthy is how well it serves his compositions.

This is the video premiere of “Bethema” from klezmer jazz ensemble Queen Kong’s upcoming album ‘Fray.’

All that hype surrounding a child who plays a sophisticated music form like an old veteran is real, but now that Joey Alexander is no longer child and finding his own identity, the hype feels even more real than before with the all-originals ‘Origin.’

Living up to its name, Jacob Garchik’s ‘Assembly’ artfully puts together improvised parts to create structured pieces, only to place it back against its loose origins.

There are no egos at all involved with the talented quartet Kind Folk, just a cooperative spirit that makes ‘Head Towards the Center’ truly better than the sum of its parts.

The Stefan Orins Trio’s ‘October 11’ is an enjoyable, modern jazz album with a firm rooting in the jazz of history.

‘Tangled’ is a second live document of the phenomenal sax-drum telepathy between Tim Berne and Nasheet Waits.

With ‘Thisness,’ Miles Okazuki and his nimble, astute and funky quartet take yet another significant artistic step forward.

‘Genesis of Genius: The Contemporary Albums’ might not be as ‘legendary’ as what soon followed, but this is where the legend of Ornette Coleman begins.

Jimmy Haslip’s taste runs the gamut, from jazz to rock and even to long-ago pop stars. So getting him to narrow things down was quite a challenge.