A grab-bag of good listening

I recently saw a brand-new movie called Heart of Gold that features Neil Young in concert, gorgeously filmed by Jonathan Demme. Young has been on my mind ever since, and I'd been hoping that his new album, Living With War, would be released in time for this review. Alas, not till next week. 
But never fear-I've been storing up recommendations about music I feel deserves wider recognition for just this situation.
One quick comment before we get down to business, though. If you've read my other music reviews here in Atención, you may have noticed that they are all positive. I wouldn't want you to think that hanging out in the Jardín has mellowed me to the point where I've lost my critical faculties. On the contrary, I'm actually a huge music snob. I guess my philosophy is that I have limited time to spread the word about work I feel is truly exceptional, and I'd rather not waste it discussing anything else in this forum. This way, you can always be confident that whatever I'm reviewing has passed my rigorous test with flying colors.
Instead of singling out one piece of work today, I'm going to offer several mini-reviews of albums in various styles. Hopefully, if you're a fan of one of the genres, I'll be exposing you to something you'll love.

Jazz: Michael Brecker's The Nearness of You (The Ballad Book)

Michael Brecker is the most respected and imitated jazz saxophonist of the post-Coltrane era. While he was still in college in the early 1970s, his pop and R&B roots led him to leave Horace Silver's group and hit the studios, where he has since recorded with James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Aerosmith, James Brown and literally hundreds of other major artists. Though Brecker has released several fine albums over the years, my absolute favorite is The Nearness of You.

It is the perfect example of how jazz can be sophisticated and still accessible. Brecker tackles several standards from the Great American Songbook ("The Nearness of You" and Irving Berlin's "Always") alongside his originals and compositions by Herbie Hancock, who plays acoustic piano throughout. Joining them are Jack DeJohnette on drums, Charlie Haden on acoustic bass and Pat Metheny on guitar. James Taylor also sits in for two songs and reminds us how sensitive a singer he can be. 
What keeps The Nearness of You from turning into just another all-star jam session is the arrangements. Whether it is the title ballad or the brilliant "Nascente" by Brazilian composer Flavio Venturini, the group plays carefully thought-out lines over the moody and intricate rhythm arrangements. The words that come to mind are romantic, passionate and slow burn. It's that kind of album.

Acoustic music: Viktor Krauss' Far From Enough 

It's hard to fit this album into a specific genre, unless you count "atmospheric, even spooky bluegrass-influenced funk" as a legitimate style. But that's exactly what this project delivers. Viktor is singer Allison Krauss' bass-playing brother, and here he has crafted a truly unusual piece of work.

He's a fine player, and the songs are interesting and even hypnotic at times, but a large part of what makes the album stand out is that Krauss surrounds himself with utterly unique musicians. Drummer Steve Jordan is the king of swampy funk; guitarist Bill Frisell is without peer at summoning sonic strangeness from acoustic and electric guitars; Dobro player Jerry Douglas is the go-to guy for everyone from Tanya Tucker to Bela Fleck. (Viktor's famous sister sings on two tracks, including a cover of Robert Plant's "Big Log.")
Krauss has called this album "a soundtrack without a movie." I agree. On first listen, I was disappointed that there weren't stronger melodies or themes. Little by little, though, the album's sultry mood and handmade qualities won me over. It's a favorite in the Robinson household.

Pop: Paul Simon's You're The One

With so many obscure and struggling artists out there, why would I choose to highlight veteran hit-maker Paul Simon's new album? Because it's that good, for one thing, and because so many people from my generation seem to have stopped listening to Simon, writing him off as an oldies act. Far from it. You're The One continues to integrate African and American pop influences, although in a much subtler way than on his famous Graceland album.

Simon's voice isn't quite as nimble and clear as it used to be, but he still delivers his poignant and witty lyrics better than anyone else can. In "That's Where I Belong" he sings:

Somewhere in a burst of glory
Sound becomes a song
I'm bound to tell a story
That's where I belong

This is a man who understands what his life's work is all about, and that confidence underlies the self-deprecating humor that pops up now and then. He sings about aging; he sings about governments; he sings about pigs, sheep and wolves. It all works. Simon-with contemporaries like Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman and James Taylor-has actually turned out some of his strongest work over the last 10 years, long after he stopped appearing on the pages of Rolling Stone. If you used to be a fan, you don't have to settle for replaying his old albums anymore. He's still going strong.

Doug Robinson is a composer who performs with San Miguel's jazz/funk group Mo' Ritmo. You can hear excerpts from his 13 original albums, including Midlife Chrysalis, at www.dougrobinson.com.