“Globalization isn’t just a socio-economic phenomenon these days. It’s increasingly affecting jazz, our most American of art forms, too. For proof, consider this month’s Winning Spins pair.Despite the daunting musical descriptions, the tracks are vividly engaging as reflections of both another culture’s music and inventive jazz. Each track has its own unique flavor, achieved through specific textures and sequences, including choice of solo voices. Ban’s piano has a spare authority; Romanescu’s guitar possesses an ethereal tone suggesting he’s listened to Pat Metheny; Newsome can conjure a folkish, piping tone or a deeper jazz resonance on soprano, all with very little vibrato; and Harding’s baritone covers a wide tonal spectrum from gruff and dirty to suede-smooth . . . on “Transylvanian Dance”, baritone and soprano engage in lengthening trades flowing into polyphony; and on “Carol” the soprano’s rubato opening is shadowed by bass clarinet obligati. “Bucharest, Part Two” dances with gypsy fervor in solos that gnaw at phrases (soprano), chop up riffs (guitar) and take off with febrile energy (baritone). It’s an album full of rewarding surprises, a jazz delight.”