1. MIGUEL ZENON, 'JIBARO' (MARSALIS MUSIC)
Zenon didn't have much contact with jazz growing up in Puerto Rico. His earliest exposure came mostly while listening to jazz programs on National Public Radio. But Zenon has graduated from his NPR days and has evolved into one of the most interesting and original young alto saxophonists to come along in some time. "Jabaro" is both creative and compositional, focusing on music from Puerto Rico. All 10 songs are originals, well-thought out and clearly articulated.

2. EDDIE PALMIERI, 'LISTEN HERE!' (CONCORD)
Often Latin jazz recordings are little more than great dance records, heavy on the salsa, rhumba and charanga, but little on the dissonance, tonal shading and improvisational depth. While no Palmieri recording would be complete without the danceable elements, the recording centers around his explosive piano and a heavy dose of tight soloing. Palmieri rose to prominence in the early 1960s as a leader of Conjunto La Perfecta, a stylized Latin dance ensemble with a powerful brass sound. And "Listen Here!" is just that. Heavy brass blast, peppered with rhythm.

3. CHARLES LLOYD, 'JUMPIN THE CREEK' (ECM)
Over the past decade, Lloyd has not-so-quietly re-emerged with a series of critically received recordings. With pianist Geri Allen, bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Eric Harland, "Jumping the Creek" is typical Lloyd: reflective, alluring and impassioned free blowing. Some of the best moments occur on "Georgia Bright Suite," which is ostensibly two songs, "Pythagoras at Jeckyll Island" and "Sweet Georgia Bright," and provides the best example of Lloyd's tenderness and tenacity.

4. THE CLAYTON HAMILTON JAZZ ORCHESTRA, 'LIVE AT MCG' (MANCHESTER CRAFTMEN'S GUILD)
Superb musicianship, thunderous, crisp and clean-toned solos are featured throughout. Recorded live during a four-day residency at the Guild, the disc explores 11 songs ranging from Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia on My Mind" and Thelonious Monk's "Evidence," to "Squatty Roo," a song written and popularized by saxophonist Johnny Hodges. "Live at MCG" was recently nominated for a Grammy.

5. WYNTON MARSALIS, 'UNFORGIVEABLE BLACKNESS: THE RISE AND FALL OF JACK JOHNSON' (BLUE NOTE)
Recorded in conjunction with Ken Burns' documentary about legendary boxer Jack Johnson, Marsalis' music goes back, evoking the spirit and style of the time by incorporating stride piano, clarinet, banjo, tuba and plunger mute. The short length of each song -- many of them two minutes or less -- also is characteristic of the period. The recording features mostly originals, but there are a few reinterpretations, such as Jelly Roll Morton's "New Orleans Bump" and Buddy Bolden's Blues." It's a great little recording without being overly nostalgic.

1. HIROSHIMA, 'OBON' (HEADS UP INTERNATIONAL/TELARC)
This band, which combines Los Angeles jazz and funk with Japanese instrumentation, recorded its first CD in 1979, and while I haven't heard a lot of its material in the past quarter-century it sounds as though it's only getting started since 2003's "The Bridge." From the DJ scratches of "Atomic Cafe" and the joyous South African-influenced "Mr. Robben" to the straight-ahead of "The Lighthouse," there's a little bit for everybody. I can't wait for the next project.

2. MARCUS MILLER, 'SILVER RAIN' (3 DEUCES/KOCH)
He can play electric bass like no one else. You know that. But he also composes, produces, arranges and plays keyboards and bass clarinet, the last of which you don't see much in any form of jazz. Arrangements of "Moonlight Sonata," "Boogie on Reggae Woman" and "Frankenstein" demand the listener's attention, and if you're a bass player and hear one of the runs during the melody of "Bruce Lee" you might want to give it up. The lone problem with this smorgasbord of music is that you just can't properly consume all of it at one sitting.

3. BRIAN BROMBERG, 'METAL' (ARTISTRY MUSIC)
If you were to listen to this CD, you might think that Bromberg is one of the modern greats of jazz-fusion guitar -- except that you're actually hearing overdubbed electric basses, albeit some tuned to the register of a guitar. This release, one of three he came out with in 2005, allows the Tucson native to rock out more than a little bit on such pieces a "Carlos" and "Fooled Ya."

4. BRIAN BROMBERG, 'CHOICES' (ARTISTRY MUSIC)
Much smoother and funkier than "Metal," this represents an update on a release from last year on which Bromberg uses both acoustic and electric instruments. I still can't get the dramatic rhythm figure from "Never Give Up" out of my head, the sorrowful "Why?" was inspired by the 1999 massacre at Colombine High School, and the joyous "Hear Our Cry" recalls South Africa. (For the record, Bromberg's third release in 2005 was an all-acoustic project, "It's About Time," which I didn't review.)

5. ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY, 'AMERICAN/ENGLISH' (NARADA JAZZ)
"Say Yeah" to the English acoustic guitar duo, whose most recent CD is heavily influenced by dance music and American funk. I recommend also "Trinity," "The Crossing," "The Moon and the Son" and "She Speaks American/English," a tribute to Steely Dan.

Nate Guidry can be reached at nguidry@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3865. Rick Nowlin can be reached at 412-263-3871 or rnowlin@post-gazette.com.