Matt Mitchell and Kate Gentile’s “for teens,” “spinal thought” and “peripheral drome” are spare conceptions with rich detail filled in on the fly from the assembled collection of improvisation masters.

“It Starts When We Disappear” is the enthralling opening track from Pat Metheny’s upcoming September 2021 release, ‘Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV).’

Pure Toto pop at its finest, “Chelsea” would also have made a solid addition to Joseph Williams’ excellent solo album, ‘Denizen Tenant.’

Dave Seidel’s ‘Involution’ adds color and texture to minimalism in such an inventive way.

Smooth jazz is usually dismissed as soporific melodies played by an anonymous instrumentalist with programmed rhythms. None of this is that.

The feel of the gold-selling U.S. Top 20 hit ‘Love Over Gold’ is like no other Dire Straits album.

Approaching his 70th birthday, trumpet maestro Natsuki Tamura made the very personal ‘Koki Solo’ with a youthful frivolity that belies his age and signals that he remains in his peak period.

Ellen Foley joins Paul Matts to discuss the forthcoming ‘Fighting Words,’ working with Jim Steinman, and a few other favorite musical moments along the way.

Guitarist extraordinaire Julian Lage’s ‘Squint’ is the record of an established veteran composing, playing and leading on a high plane.

The challenge for listeners to keep up is also central to the thrill of listening to ‘Cool With That’ by the improvised music supergroup East Axis.