A & E

"Surprise" is Paul Simon's headphone album, his "Dark Side of the Moon." Collaborating with ambient music master Brian Eno opens up Simon's music to textures and tones heretofore unheard in his music.

For the most part, the collaboration works. On the first track, "How Can You Live in the Northeast?" Simon's vocals are remarkably strong, his lyrics almost pleading for unity in a divided world. But what's most striking is Eno's fabled touch, the undercurrent of noise and notes and other sounds that are present in what could have been a straightforward pop song. Such an approach calls for restraint, and when it works -- as in the effervescent "Outrageous," "Beautiful" and "Sure Don't Feel Like Love" -- there's a tangible sense of exhilaration, even joy.

Occasionally, Eno's treatments distract from the music. "Father and Daughter" is one of Simon's brightest, most optimistic tunes but is marred by the some otherworldly sound effects and backing vocals. And "I Don't Believe" just drones, with the lightness of Simon's melody -- and some wonderful acoustic guitar -- getting lost in the mix.

For the most part, however, "Surprise" is Simon's best work since "Graceland."

-- Regis Behe

'A Blessing and a Curse'
Drive-By Truckers (New West)

After releasing three albums that arguably established them as the pre-eminent rock 'n' roll band of the 21st century, it would have been easy for the Drive-By Truckers to regress. "A Blessing and a Curse" eschews the rock-opera template that was so winning in "A Southern Rock Opera," "The Dirty South" and "Decoration Day."

Instead, "A Blessing and a Curse" is an album of twisted, skewed love songs that starts out with Flowers flying 'cross the room, vases smashed against the floor in the rousing "Feb 14."

The key to the Truckers' success is the three talented songwriters -- guitarists and singers Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley and Jason Isbell -- who have to vie for space on each album. Thus, Isbell's soaring "Daylight," Cooley's dramatic "Gravity's Gone" and Hood's doggedly optimistic "World of Hurt" compete for the album's best track. The volume alternately roars and percolates; the guitars are ragged, then muted. But there's little doubt that this is a band that has only, perhaps, Radiohead as a rival for the heavyweight crown of rock 'n' roll.

-- Regis Behe

'Rewind That'
Christian Scott (Concord)

Trumpeter and composer Christian Scott leads a band on this album that shows the phrase "contemporary jazz" doesn't have to mean "smooth" or "fusion." No, the sextet on "Rewind That" is more of a hard-bop-oriented bunch featuring the rhythms and riffs of the 21st century.

Tunes such as "Rejection" are built around a fresh outlook, but feature a horn line and rhythm section mindful of the Jazz Messengers. The work of the band is consistently good and is topped by the play of Scott, a trumpeter who has a fair amount of power, but doesn't feel compelled to show off with it. Guitarist Matt Stevens also is good, particularly on the moody "She."

All but two of the 11 numbers are Scott originals. The others are a good version of the Miles Davis classic "So What" and "Paradise Found" by Donald Harrison, who sits in on four songs.

-- Bob Karlovits

'Locked & Loaded'
The Odeon Pope Saxophone Choir (Half Note )

As if a nine-piece saxophone choir weren't enough to make this album enticing, "Locked & Loaded" also features guest stops by Joe Lovano, James Carter and Michael Brecker, obviously before he was incapacitated with a bone-marrow problem.

The soloists add great moments on tunes such as "Prince Lasha" and "Coltrane Time," but the real story is the sound of the choir. Pope's arrangements create a lush reediness that plays wonderfully on the tonal richness of the ensemble. The baritone passages of John Coltrane's "Central Park West," for instance, support the whole arrangement from the bottom. The players also run through intricate passages -- such as those on "Epitome" -- without a hitch.

-- Bob Karlovits

Music DVD

'Legends of Jazz Showcase'
Ramsey Lewis and guests (LRSmedia)

The two-disc set is a jazz showcase with and without video. One disc is a DVD presentation by guests from the new Ramsey Lewis PBS jazz show, "Legends of Jazz." The other disc is a CD version of the same offerings, just in case you want to play it without having a TV handy.

The performances include Al Jarreau and Kurt Elling doing "Take Five," trumpeter Chris Botti playing "My Funny Valentine," Benny Golson offering his classic "Killer Joe," Clark Terry doing a delightful "Mumbles" and Phil Woods and David Sanborn playing "Senor Blues."

The 13 offerings also feature blues masters Robert Cray and Keb' Mo', as well as singer Jane Monheit and pianist Chick Corea. It is done in a lean fashion, with the only pause being a brief thank-you from Lewis in each performance. As a result, the discs provide something close to solid entertainment.

-- Bob Karlovits

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