Jazz pianist and composer Dan Tepfer pushes the piano trio into new tonal territory on his latest release Five Pedals Deep.

“I am my father’s son. I’ve never known when to shut up,” Justin Townes Earle sings on “Mama’s Eyes,” one of 12 unforgettable tracks on his latest release Midnight at the Movies. The outspoken son of alt-country icon Steve Earle proves he is very much his own man here, stepping out of his famous father’s shadow with a near-perfect set of rocking, rolling, and riveting singer/songwriter fare. Kudos to producers R.S. Field and Steve Poulton, along with keyboard ringers Skylar Wilson and Cory Younts, for framing Earle in inspired musical light. Earle whispers on the title track, pleads for mercy alongside prancing piano and pedal steel on the country cooker “What I Mean to You,” and struts like a teenager on the rousing, boogiewoogie- fied “Poor Fool.” One of 2009’s true breakout recordings, Midnight at the Movies is worth the price of entry — and then some.

If Culberston’s latest release doesn’t get you grooving, seek medical attention immediately!

Keyboardist Scott Chasolen is best known for his progminded work with Pink Floyd tribute band the Machine, but his solo release Fracture is sure to get the word out about his budding career as a singer-songwriter.

Keyboardist Erik Deutsch’s latest release Hush Money is an aural escape from the norm. Featuring a sonorous meeting of both acoustic instruments — guitars, reeds, and percussion — and vintage keyboards from Deutsch’s own collection, the album is jazz in its structure, but atmospheric in its affect. Many of the tracks on Hush Money sound like perfect material for cinematic sound cues. “Black Flies” pits sneaky, ostinato piano and bass lines against shifting horn figures and analog synth shimmer. “Flytrap” features dissonant piano chords and electronic filter sweeps. And on “Dirty Osso Bucco,” Deutsch struts with Hammond organ, funk beats, and a barn-burning horn section. The album is impressive in both the wide sonic swath it cuts across a multitude of genres, and in how it celebrates Deutsch’s unique musical ability to merge a variety of tonal textures into a soundscape all his own.

Fred Hersch does so many things well (he’s a master pianist, accompanist, bandleader, composer, and educator), that you sometimes forget what a gifted interpreter he is of other people’s work. On his latest release, Hersch meets and exceeds the challenge of injecting new life into the venerable songbook of Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim. Playing almost entirely solo, save for percussionist Jamey Haddad’s spirited accompaniment on “Brigas Nunca Mais,” Hersch tackles well- and lesser-known Jobim tunes with fastidious flair, swinging hard and articulating in a pitch-perfect, almost classical way; listen to his fugue-like solo reading of “O Grande Amor,” the album’s second track. Time and time again, Hersch pushes himself and the piano to the edge and beyond. On Fred Hersch Plays Jobim, he continues to prove he is a fervent force to be reckoned with. Recommended. (Sunnyside, fredhersch.com )