JAZZ : NEW RELEASES : In Brief

** Dr. John, David (Fathead) Newman, others, “Bluesiana II,” Windham Hill. Art Blakey’s death removed the jazz leg of the original Bluesiana Triangle collaboration, and “II” sounds more like a Dr. John record featuring saxophonist Newman, trombonist Ray Anderson and Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun. Calhoun adds a rock-solid pulse, but the song-oriented material soars only with Anderson’s whoops and smears on “Dr. Blooze” and “Cowan Woman” and on the deep blues of “San Antone.” Proficient but spotty.

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent). A rating of five stars is reserved for classic reissues or retrospectives.