NEW RELEASES : In Brief

** 1/2 Gary Thomas, “Exile’s Gate,” JMT/PolyGram. Organ combo recordings have been in vogue recently and touted tenor saxophonist Thomas tries to go one better by fronting two different groups on “Exile’s Gate.” Rather than Jimmy Smith, Thomas’ jumping off point is the late misterioso moodmaster Larry Young’s work with the Tony Williams Lifetime and a freewheeling quartet featuring Jack DeJohnette and organist Charles Covington skillfully crafts a compelling context for the leader’s intense, high-energy lines. But the jumpy quintet with organist Tim Murphy and funk-oriented drummer Terri Lyne Carrington ony sporadically clicks with Thomas and the album never jells as a cohesive whole.

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent).