Subtle Disguise

Vibraphonist Joe Locke's year got off to a great start - beginning with an induction into the World Vibes Congress Hall of Fame alongside Milt Jackson - and continues to get better with the release of Subtle Disguise, his 36th album as a leader. The album, which features vocalist Raul Midon, guitarist Adam Rogers, saxophonist David Binney and pianist-vocalist Alina Engibaryan as special guests, walks an ambitious middle path between emotion and intellect, merging the visceral quality of traditional American roots music with the cerebral quality of contemporary jazz. Joining Locke on the effort are stalwart accompanists Jim Ridl on piano and Lorin Cohen on bass, as well as rising star Samvel Sarkisyan on drums.