On Chroma Colossus, the Brooklyn-based composer/saxophonist Charles Waters presents what he calls a harmonic map. The song list cites a variety of New York City landmarks, with consideration also given to the daily life of those who live there—snippets of conversation at the deli stand alongside subway-conductor warnings and MacArthur Fellow Colson Whitehead reading his poem “Brooklyn Bridge” on the song of the same name. Firmly in the downtown jazz vein, the music here (played with drummer Andrew Barker, bassist George Rush, and trombonist Chris McIntyre) is nonetheless composed with an ear for melody and a sense of forward momentum. The noir-ish blues of “Rain” beautifully capture a late-night walk home in the rain, while “Rush Hour” (anchored by a nice drum solo) and “Subway” epitomize the frenetic grace within the chaos. Composed in the aftermath of 9/11, the music sometimes dwells in somber places (“City Limits”), but these don’t last long. There's plenty of sunlight to break through the clouds; see “Central Park.”