NEW RELEASES : Kirkland’s Slick Contemporary Spin : *** KENNY KIRKLAND “Kenny Kirkland” <i> GRP</i>

Although Kirkland has spent time with Sting and Crosby, Stills & Nash, he brings his impeccable skills as a post-bop pianist to most of the works here. The pianist--who will make his Los Angeles solo debut at Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood Wednesday through next Sunday--delivers a first-rate contemporary jazz album. Its only flaw: the occasional use of totally superfluous synthesizer backgrounds.

Two of several tracks with saxophonist Branford Marsalis, in whose quartet Kirkland has played off and on for many years, are state of the art. On “Revelations,” Marsalis plays a stunning solo that nicely summarizes the various influences on his multidimensional style.

Kirkland’s finest playing surfaces on the tunes that feature only rhythm accompaniment: “Chance” (an original) and Wayne Shorter’s “Ana Maria.” Although both interpretations are long, the pianist’s inspiration never falters. Almost as fascinating is a high-speed romp through Ornette Coleman’s “When Will the Blues Leave.”

Less appealing--surprisingly, given their sources--are Bud Powell’s “Celia,” which has to endure unnecessary synthesizer fills, and a reading of Monk’s “Criss Cross” that rarely moves beyond its oddly inappropriate Latin rhythms.