The compositions presented on Pursuit by the 'Benoit Delbecq 5' often convey a sense of buoyancy or airiness which becomes outwardly evident from the onset with the opener titled, 'Strange Loop'. Here, the dual and we might add, distinguished woodwind section of clarinetist Francois Houle and clarinetist/saxophonist Michael Moore partake in brief choruses that float atop quiet and at times undulating rhythms and subliminal electronic EFX supplied by drummer Steve Arguelles. Longtime Steve Lacy associate Jean-Jacques Avenel completes the rhythm section as the band led by pianist Benoit Delbecq and his vastly interesting compositional approach suggests a potpourri of intersecting themes enhanced by the often brilliant soloing.

Bill Frisell had been working regularly with bassist Kermit Driscoll and drummer Joey Baron for five years when they recorded this concert in Spain in 1991. The familiarity shows in the spontaneity and in the intuitive grasp of every shifting musical gesture. The 70-minute performance may show Frisell's range and the ease with which he flows from one mood or genre to another better than any single studio CD.

The sophomore solo outing by drummer extraordinaire Jim Black and his Alasnoaxis band (Chris Speed on reeds and winds, Hilmar Jensson on guitars, Skuli Sverrisson on bass, everybody on effects) takes the more rock-oriented elements from his debut and explores them to heavily distorted yet wildly lyrical ends.

Sorcerer, the third album by the second Miles Davis Quintet, is in a sense a transitional album, a quiet, subdued affair that rarely blows hot, choosing to explore cerebral tonal colorings.

Maybe it's just Archie Shepp's preeminence over musicians who came in his wake or maybe it's his mahogany tone, big and thick. Then again, maybe it's Kahil El'Zabar's love of polyrhythms. But this marriage of Chicago's Ritual Trio and jazz veteran Shepp is an utterly compelling one. The whole CD bounces in broad jumps, taken at a midtempo pace with an ecumenical command of every post-bebop, acoustic-jazz style.