Alma

Sardinian trumpeter Paolo Fresu and Cuban pianist Omar Sosa imbue Alma’s chamber jazz with a sense of warmth. Fresu consistently breathes nuance into his lines; at times, he uses a mute and electronics to expand his timbral palette. Sosa mostly works in low-key mode, displaying precision and grace throughout. Brazilian composer and arranger Jaques Morelenbaum plays cello on four tracks, including “S’Inguldu,” which comes off like mellowed-out mid-’70s Weather Report. The melancholic “Inverno Grigio” displays Fresu’s lyricism in a setting fleshed out by atmospheric electronics. With its rippling percussion and darting piano, Sosa’s “Angustia” stands out as one of the album’s more charged pieces. Percussion also plays a big role on “Moon on the Sky,” which is marked by the occasional edgy phrase. “Medley Part I: Niños” has an eerie sci-fi vibe redolent of Jon Hassell, while “Medley Part II: Nenia” is a spacious dream. The longest cut here is a version of Paul Simon’s “Under African Skies,” where whistling, handclaps, and wordless vocals keep things perky.