Kevin Whitehead

The new album 3 showcases Lafayette Gilchrist's maximalist jazz piano in a trio setting rather than with his seven-piece New Volcanoes band. Even in the more intimate arrangement, Gilchrist isn't afraid to make the box shout; this is jazz from artists influenced by everything from hip-hop to the D.C. area's distinctive go-go sound.

Saxophonist and clarinetist Ned Rothenberg has always been a musical cosmopolitan.

Early on, he studied jazz with George Coleman and shakuhachi flute in Japan. Later, Rothenberg put together his North African-influenced Double Band, and toured in duos with the Tuvan throat singer Saimkho Namtchylak, the shakuhachi virtuoso Katsuya Yokoyama and English saxophone improviser Evan Parker.

Rothenberg's new album, Inner Diaspora, sends him back to his roots.

Trumpeter Enrico Rava is one of Italy's best known and most recorded jazz musicians.

He's a true internationalist, working with players from all around Western Europe. Rava has also played with Americans such as saxophonist Steve Lacy, composer Carla Bley and trombonist Roswell Rudd.

In the 1970s, Rava made some memorable records for the ECM label. Now he's back with the company and one happy results is The Words and the Days.