Here are a pair of releases by newer artists; one with keeping 
and advancing the tradition, and the other bringing in a whole new reservoir of sounds and ideas into the idiom.
Alto saxist Erena Terakubo is joined by the stellar rhythm team of Kenny Barron/p, Ron Carter/b and Lee Pearson/dr for a baptism by fire on standards and originals. She hits the floor running on quicksilver material like thetitle track and displays her bop chops on “Fascination” with ease and dexterity. Dominick Farinacci loans his brass mouthpiece on a gospel driven “This Hear” that hearkens to the classic Cannonball Adderley days,while a warm alto tone is displayed by the lady on the high stepping “Oriental Folksong.” She lays herself out barely draped in a gorgeously minimalist reading of “Body and Soul” that shows impressive lyrical and emotional depth. When’s she coming to town?
Lebanese born trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf mixes sounds from the Middle East, Central Asia and Broadway on this dramatic and thought provoking collection of material. He’s teamed up with a 17 female Brazilian-styled band named Zalinde’ which creates some provocative and percussive framework for Maalouf’s horn. Most of the songs here have intros that are drawn out to draw you in; for example, a quiet piano gently undulates on “Lily” before some drapes of sound slowly form, with undercurrents of a bolero slowly taking over your pulse. A Peruvian guitar cascades into some synthesized salsa on “Maeva in the Wonderland” before Maalouf’s horn and brass work takes over a whirlwind of emotions. Some klezmer sounds are mixed with vocals on “Everything or nothing, while tablas and strings give an exotic taste to “Douce.” The disc closes with some lush keyboards backdropping Maalouf’s yearning horn, giving hints to an evening with Chris Botti. Intriguing ideas that will stay with you.
4Q Records
Sony/ATV
www.jeanlouiseperrier@orange.fr