JAZZ NOTES : Ponty, Fleck Top Batch of New Releases

A French electric violinist entranced by African rhythms and a native New Yorker who plays the electric banjo highlight this batch of new releases:

*** 1/2 JEAN-LUC PONTY “No Absolute Time” Atlantic

For the past few years, violinist Ponty has infused an African element with his fascination for minimalism--his pieces often bear Philip Glass-like recurring melodies, bass lines and rhythms. That affection is further developed here, where Ponty works in the company of such African musicians as bassist Guy Nsangue and Abdou Mboup on percussion.

Ponty achieves startling effects as he plays on top of this luxuriant rhythmic foundation. At times, he goes back and forth between a pair of notes; this sawing makes his ideas almost stand still while the rhythmic undercurrent simply keeps flowing. Elsewhere his statements have the sweep and swoop of a hawk circling, on the lookout for prey, and his rhythmic partners move right along with him.

The tunes are alluring, exemplified by “Lost Illusions.” Here Ponty’s heartfelt melody, coupled with the gliding, thack-a wack-a bossa-rock beat of Moktar Samba’s drums, gives the number a sense of both sadness and freedom.

Ponty is getting a lot of bang for the buck with this current direction.

*** BELA FLECK AND THE FLECKTONES “Three Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” Warner Bros.

Here’s an unlikely combination for invigorating contemporary sounds: a banjo player, an electric bassist and a drummer who works on the guitar-shaped Drumitar drum synthesizer. But music is decidedly what Bela Fleck and his colleagues make.

This is solid fare, with plenty of singable melodies, as on “The Drift” and “Spunky and Clorissa,” and no shortage of solos that are full of listenable moments. Fleck’s fleet, swirling-lined work on “Vix 9,” where he makes the banjo sound almost like a guitar, is a good example. Bassist Victor Wooten, the band’s other chief solo voice, makes tuneful contributions.

This tasty collection is abetted by cameos from Branford Marsalis--an ace soprano solo on “The Drift”--and keyboardist Bruce Hornsby.

** 1/2 JOEY DeFRANCESCO “Live at the Five Spot” Columbia

The 22-year-old organist is the best thing happening on this 75-minute single CD, which captures a jam session in New York. The tunes are familiar--”I’ll Remember April,” “All of Me,” “Impressions”--but the leader still finds fresh statements in their structures. Some of his guest stars--saxophonists Grover Washington Jr. and Houston Person, organist Captain Jack McDuff--don’t fare as well, though tenorman Illinois Jacquet is deftly Lester Young-like on “All of Me” and Kirk Whalum cooks hard on “Impressions.”