Jeff Lofton

Veteran jazz trumpeter Jeff Lofton demonstrates his versatility and range at every breath. "You Blues You Lose" looks back to Kind of Blue-era Miles Davis, while "NOLA Beat" employs a funky N'awlins groove. Even when the punches aren't telegraphed, the program shifts plenty of gears. The Austinite's cover of "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" offers frisky hard bop in contrast to "Rose," highlighted by sublime piano from Dr. James Polk, which settles into easy swing, cocktail in hand and fingers ready to snap. The album also touches on Latin and soul jazz. Occasionally the cornucopia feels forced; two versions of Eugene McDaniels' social protest anthem "Compared to What," one sung by Carolyn Wonderland and the other by late guitarist Larry Coryell's blues-singing son Murali, are probably two too many. Yet Lofton's pure tone and stylistic ease keep Jericho from sounding like a highlight reel.