Ambient, clean and, to a degree, hypnotic. Those are the immediate thoughts that come to mind with Leslie Pintchik’s In the Nature of Things (Pintch Hard Records, 2014).

A pianist and composer, Pintchik says she chose the title to reflect the feeling she had that all the musicians honored the fundamental intent and nature of the music as she conceived it. Those musicians are Steve Wilson, alto and soprano saxophones; Ron Horton, trumpet and flugelhorn; Scott Hardy, bass; Michael Sarin, drums; and Satoshi Takeishi, percussion.

Either they’re warning you of an immediate threat, or they’re hiding something. More likely the former as Pintchik and her companions play “I’d Turn Back If I Were You.” The threat is if you keep listening, you’re going to find yourself knee deep in delight. The horns contribute a little here and there, but it’s mostly about the piano, bass, drums and percussion. Sarin and Takeishi play well off the leader, each seemingly doing his own thing while staying connected.

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