40 years ago, Pat Metheny took the first of many detours into quiet emotion. ‘New Chautauqua’ remains the one that most strongly connects.

Kim Cypher tells us she wanted to blend “inspired original music” with cover songs “arranged with a quirky, jazzy twist.” Mission accomplished.

Ben Monder has this rare ability to effortlessly abstract harmony without robbing it of any of its emotional impact.

YolanDa Brown’s blending of styles doesn’t even have a name. Whatever you call this, ‘Love, Politics, War’ is certainly in a class of its own.

Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan play with the intent to extract every honeyed drop from these rich melodies, a hallmark of both artists.

‘Revolution,’ Joan Torres’ forthcoming album with the aptly titled All Is Fused, offers a tight-as-a-coffin-lid blend jazz, soul and funk.

Once again, Ivo Perelman follows a path that the listener has never gone down before – or the musicians, for that matter.

What do we get when Kate Williams and Georgia Mancio, two of the most influential jazz women in the U.K., create an album?

Ronnie Lane, Joost Maglev, Patrice Jegou, Tiny Legs Tim and the Green are part of the latest edition of Five for the Road, an occasional look at music that’s been in my car lately.

Released a decade ago today, Diana Krall’s ‘Quiet Nights’ succeeds as easy listening – in the best sense of those words.