George Cables is one of the world’s greatest jazz pianists, one who helped define the sound of the instrument as we know it today. He’s been making unostentatious music at the keyboard for decades. His new release, “In Good Company,” though focusing on people Cables has known in the past, is not a tribute album but rather a series of personal reminiscences from the keyboard. On display on every track are those wonderful turns of phrases, interesting voicings and that gorgeous tone which characterizes Cables’ playing. With musical compadres Essiet Essiet and Victor Lewis, Cables explores the music of Ellington, Strayhorn, John Hicks, and offers a couple of his own intensely interesting compositions.

Saxophonist extraordinaire Walt Weiskopf shifts into another gear and takes us along for the ride on the “Open Road.” As a tour de force collection of hard hitting originals, Weiskopf’s second release for Posi-Tone Records features the swinging rhythm section of pianist Peter Zak, bassist Mike Karn and drummer Steve Fidyk. All of the musicians do some heavy lifting behind the sensational melodicism and harmonic inventions of their fearless leader.

Also this week, it’s the final release for the late guitarist Jeff Golub, “The Vault,” featuring saxophonist Kirk Whalum; veteran trumpet stand-outs Randy Brecker and Bobby Shew are featured with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra and St. Blaise’s Big Band, under the direction of Vince Mendoza, on “Trumpet Summit Prague: the Mendoza Arrangements Live”; and Eastern Iowa’s ownLaranja, featuring guitarist Dan Padley, reedman Ryan Smith, keyboardist Michael Jarvey, bassist Drew Morton and drummer Justin Leduc, unveil “Thrills and Echoes.”

Norwegian trumpeter Mathias Eick pays tribute to the North American Midwest on a new CD of intensely melodic compositions which reflect thematically upon journeys and homecomings both literal and spiritual. The original inspiration for “Midwest” came during an arduous tour of the U.S. and Canada. “We’d started on the West Coast and were driving long distances every day. I was beginning to get very homesick. Then we reached the area called the Rural Midwest and I suddenly had the strange feeling I was home. Parts of the Midwest remind me strongly of parts of Norway…” In his music for the disc, Eick sketches an imaginary voyage from the village of his birth, over the seas to America.

“All in the Family” brings together two members of Chicago’s Freeman family that have never recorded together until now. Legendary guitarist George Freeman, who celebrated his 88^thbirthday in April, played with the likes of Charlie Parker and Gene Ammons and was recently selected as Chicagoan of the Year by Chicago Tribune Arts Critic Howard Reich. The career of world-renowned saxophonist Chico Freeman, who is George’s nephew and Von Freeman’s son, has taken him from his early years with Chicago’s AACM to Earth, Wind and Fire to producing, performing and recording with legendary musicians in New York including Elvin Jones. Together, they present their musical legacy of Chicago jazz with a program of originals by both players.

Also this week, legendary Grammy-nominee percussionistSammy Figueroa unveils his fourth release as a leader, “Imaginary World,” featuring Venezuelan pianist and composer Silvano Monasterios; New Orleans keyboardist and composer Charlie Dennard offers up his second release, an organ trio affair, “5 O’ Clock Charlie”; and Sacramento-based pianist Jim Martinez blends a set of Vince Guaraldi compositions with some Guaraldi-esque pieces of his own on “Good Grief! It’s Still Jim Martinez.”