Some jazz trends that may come to define this decade are already taking shape, and a major one is happening at the keyboard. Pianists are moving with greater ease and intent between melodic passages and abstract ones, and doing so more routinely than before. But while some younger players (such as David Virelles , Marta Sánchez and Micah Thomas ) have adapted the technique, this isn’t a youth movement. Such veterans as Angelica Sanchez and Sylvie Courvoisier have made it a prominent part of their arsenals, as have midcareer players like John Escreet and Orrin Evans . Angelica Sanchez’s “Sparkle Beings” (Sunnyside, due out Sept. 23) and Mr. Escreet’s “Seismic Shift” (Whirlwind, Oct. 7) both feature stellar sidemen and showcase this style along with other increasingly influential aspects of their work.

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