Wynton Marsalis, The Magic Hour

Walking away, for now, from the 200-strong big band that he led through 2002’s All Rise, the great traditionalist of jazz returns with his first small-group recording in five years. Befitting an album that takes familial intimacy as its theme, Marsalis has gathered a quartet of musicians he’s known since they were teenagers. Bobby McFerrin and Diane Reeves stop by to take a turn at the mic on this otherwise mostly instrumental outing; the star, as it should be, is Marsalis’ own trumpet, though he’s generous about giving his proteges room to stretch out and explore. Magic Hour comes across as a disc that was a joy to create; small wonder it’s also a joy to hear.