Kevin Whitehead

Marcus gets a clean, unfettered sound from both his band and his instrument on his new album. Trio Plus is crisp, tight and varied — with more good melodies than we can dip into.

The late jazz pianist spins out new and old melodies and cracks little musical jokes on a new series of reissues representing albums he recorded for various labels between '59 and '73.

Early in his career, Cole formed a trio with guitarist Oscar Moore and bassist Wesley Prince. Hittin' the Ramp, a new 7-CD roundup, showcases the band that help catapult Cole to stardom.