Varuna

Best of 2015: Bay Area Jazz - Laurie Antonioli leads one of the better bands in the Bay Area, but for her gorgeous album "Varuna" (Origin), she reunites with the great American pianist Richie Beirach (who's been based in Germany since 2000). They're joined by bassist Pepe Berns on four of the album's 13 tracks, but working as a duo they spin gossamer spells out of standards like "Summer Night," the bossa nova "Gentle Rain" and "My Funny Valentine," which emerges like a shimmering vision out of Scriabin's "Prelude In E-flat minor."