Vignettes

With this album, Marilyn Crispell simultaneously underscored and redefined the art of solo jazz piano. The program consists of the seven freely improvised “Vignettes” that give the disc its title, interspersed among original writing. Her leaps from abstraction (“Axis”) to solemnity (“Little Song For My Father”) are mere hints of the genius working the keys. She also includes two pieces by others: the airy “Stilleweg” by Norwegian trumpeter Arve Henriksen and the transcendental “Cuida Tu Espíritu” (Take Care of Your Spirit) by flutist Jayna Nelson. This is a stone-cold classic.