NEW RELEASES : In Brief

* * * 1/2 Brian Lynch, “Live at the Main Event,” Criss Cross. This is a gutsy, flavorful date, spotlighting the ex-Art Blakey, now Phil Woods trumpeter, whose tone snaps and pops, and whose lyricism is compelling. Also featured is organist Melvin Rhyne, whose sound--open yet subtle--recalls the late Larry Young. The two, plus saxman Ralph Moore, guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Kenny Washington, vigorously interpret Rhyne’s tasty, Latin-ish “Nite ‘Vidual I,” Horace Silver’s flowing “Ecaroh” and Arthur Hamilton’s classic ballad “Cry Me a River.” A class effort all around, and you’ll have to turn over a lot of rocks to find a blues cliche.

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).