CD ...& Tzigane/W/Vadim Repin, L.S.O., Kent Nagano

Import Hybrid-SACD pressing.

When an artist is feted as Keith Jarrett is on this tribute, it's usually thanks to compositional contributions that have enriched the jazz firmament. Jarrett's contributions are arguably more through force of personality and prodigious piano artistry than through his compositional output. That aside, producer Milan Simich delivers this 13-tune set as an eclectic tribute to Jarrett's writing. Reminiscent of Hal Willner's That's the Way I Feel Now tribute to Thelonious Monk and Meditations on Mingus, Simich has assembled a cast ranging from pop artist Bruce Hornsby, whose piano chops enliven the New Orleans second-line opener "Backhand," to the tender duo of violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and electric pianist Bob James on the understated "Book of Ways #9." Also notable are saxophonist Jimmy Greene and programmer Lord Jamar's minimalist take on "The Cure." Jarrett's oeuvre ranges from gospel pastiche to classical romance to a decided Ornette Coleman influence. The latter influence drives "Innocence," featuring George Garzone on tenor sax, and "Shades of Jazz", with Joe Lovano and Tom Harrell recalling Ornette and Don Cherry's spirited front line. Departures include Chucho Valdes's sprawling Cuban chops on "U Dance" and a rumbero treatment of Jarrett's "So Tender" from Nueva Rumba. The only solo track is a gentle lament from D.D. Jackson. —Willard Jenkins

Cleverly packaged in a faux cigar box, this four-CD compilation of Cuban music is designed with the curious fan in mind. Each disc is dedicated to a genre: Cuban Invocations (Afro-Cuban religious music), Cantar en Cuba (songcraft), Bailar con Cuba (dance music), and Cubano Jazz (jazz). Rather than attempting a full historical account, the selection of both classic and modern performers suggests the evolution of the music in broad, bold strokes. Cantar en Cuba features singer Maria Teresa Vera, a key historical figure, but also up-to-the-minute salsero Issac Delgado. In Cubano Jazz, the late bandleader Mario Bauza, crucial in the birth of Latin jazz in the early '40s, is represented alongside contemporary pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba. The accompanying 112-page booklet includes essays, interviews, and a useful song-by-song discussion that sets the music in context. The result is an informative, rewarding overview of Cuban music—and a terrific instant dance-music collection. —Fernando Gonzalez