In an ever-failing attempt to catch up on my listening, here are quick looks at three distinctly different review-worthy albums from the Emily Kuhn Quintet, the Alex Coke and Carl Michel Sextet, and Miguel Zenón and Luis Perdomo.

Emily Kuhn
Ghosts of Us (BACE Records)
A review
Chicago-based trumpeter/composer Emily Kuhn commands attention with a cool, lyrical intensity in both her playing and composing. Joined by her able and simpático colleagues Erik Skov (guitar), Meghan Stagl (piano), Kitt Lyles (bass), and Gustavo Cortiñas (drums), she explores the personal ramifications of a worldwide pandemic in six largely contemplative and deeply felt compositions. The eerie, colloidal space of the title track reflects an early walk through the city’s pandemic-emptied streets. “Respire” draws a deep, centering breathe to move forward, choosing “In Lieu of Certainty, Movement,” which wins an uneasy victory over anxiety. The up-tempo and upbeat “When It Rains” is balanced by the dreamy “When the World Is Young” (with its sublime trumpet) and the profoundly grateful and comfortable closer, “Home.” The music is subtle but articulate, like a slightly raised eyebrow, and the depth of the compositions and performances reward repeated listening.

Alex Coke and Carl Michel Sextet
Emergence (PlayOn Records)
A review
The Alex Coke and Carl Michel Sextet features an unusual instrumentation—Coke (woodwinds), Michel (guitar), Elaine Barber (concert harp), Bob Hoffnar (pedal steel), James Suter (bass), Carolyn Trowbridge (vibes)—and every member of the group seems to hold a passport that allows for easy passage from one musical genre to another, with no need to declare anything at customs. There’s the reflective petrichor of the opener, “After the Rain;” the baroque-ish “Bagatelle II,” which rides on melody; the adventurous, staccato “Mobile Structures Dedicated to Alexander Calder,” in which multiple independent but connected elements swing into your field of hearing and out; the howling jazz/blues lament of “Presence;” the silky “Mangled Tango,” which is just that, with the sax against a rhythmic cloud of sound; the refreshing “Again,” which floats like a butterfly, with no sting in that melodic flute. The 12 original tracks offer 12 quite different sonicscapes, each offering a brief trip to an intriguing musical locale off the beaten path.

Miguel Zenón and Luis Perdomo
El Arte del Bolero, vol.2 (Miel Music)
A review
Since its release in 2021, El Arte del Bolero—Miguel Zenón (sax) and Luis Perdomo (piano)—has never left the vicinity of the CD player and has been played more frequently here than any other album. News of a second volume was met with great anticipation, and every expectation has been fulfilled. Though it does not possess the off-the-cuff brilliance of its predecessor, volume 2 is brilliantly thoughtful and as passionately delivered and as eminently listenable as volume 1. It offers another satisfying dip into the Great Latin American Songbook, as well as a master class in the jazz idiom. With selections from great songwriters from the Caribbean, Mexico, Venezuela, and Panamá—and inspirations from great vocalists who made the songs famous—the arrangements and performances deliver a sublime depth of feeling and an elevating musicality. Note how Zenón alters his timbre from tune to tune to match the needs of the song. Pay attention not just to Perdomo’s solos, but also to his telepathic comping. (He has a special feel for “the close relationship between baroque music and traditional Venezuelan joropo . . . specifically the music of Domenico Scarlatti”—as he notes in a comment here—and he sneaks Signor Scarlatti into his solo on “Paula C.”) Favorites include the deeply romantic opener, “En la Oscuridad” (from the songbook of Tito Rodríguez), and the closer, “Silencio” (from Rafael Hernández), with its giddy intoxication, but every track delivers captivating music that has no sell-by date.

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