NEW RELEASES : In Brief

* * * 1/2 GENE HARRIS QUARTET, “Funky Gene’s,” Concord Jazz. Here are four master chefs who cook as one. Blessed with a long collective track record, pianist Harris works tightly with the admirable guitarist Ron Eschete, Luther Hughes on bass and Paul Humphrey. There are a couple of agreeable ballads, but the accent is on blues: a blues for Basie, a blues by Basie, “Ahmad’s Blues.” Harris always knows the exact tempo for each tune: “Nice and Easy” could well have been the title track.

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