How do you improve a tremendous piano trio? Add Joe Lovano. For their new album of acoustic, original music, the husband-and-wife team of bassist Marc Johnson and pianist Eliane Elias recruited the agile drummer Joey Baron. The trio recordings included here are so strong that it’s clear the musicians could have crafted an entire album in that setting and gotten great results. But the addition of Lovano’s saxophone takes a song like Elias’ “Moments” to another level, thanks to his gorgeous tone and empathetic interaction with the pianist.

BY BOBBY REED