While the energy of prior MTO records might be dialed back a bit, Steven Bernstein’s ‘Tinctures In Times’ is every bit as adventurous and emotionally weighty as before.

Clearly the guys of The Kevin Brady Electric Quartet are very comfortable playing together, and the immediacy and unity heard on “Airbourne” proves it.

‘5’ is a “new” set of old recordings by Tim Berne’s Bloodcount featuring the special sauce that guitarist Marc Ducret added to this supergroup quartet from the ’90s.

‘Attention Spam’ is a reminder that the special makeup of Tim Berne’s Bloodcount made the music itself special and this latest output is a precious capture from those short few years the ensemble was active.

A depth of knowledge that comes from long-term research, and Curt Bianchi’s passion for the music of Weather Report, is evident on every page.

L.A. is a big, diverse jazz scene where it’s tough to stand out but newcomer drummer Atticus Reynolds has quickly done just that with ‘Towers,’ bringing loads of chops and musical creativity to bear on his first record as an Angeleno.

Matthew Shipp and William Parker’s ‘Re-Union’ is a set of improv pieces that reveals the true extent of unity of purpose and direction that comes from more than three decades of playing together in nearly every imaginable setting.

Hearing bass legend Dave Holland playing loose and sometimes hard with other top line players in a democratic trio setting for ‘Another Land’ is just as good as you would think it would be. Maybe even a little bit better.

Jean Luc Ponty’s long-awaited comeback album ‘Life Enigma’ was issued two decades ago, reestablishing him as the world’s finest electric violinist.

Lyle Mays’ “Eberhard” serves as a bittersweet coda from a largely unsung brilliant musician who left us – as we learn here – still at the height of his powers.