And it's CD review time.

This disk is called Life Music, but I call it Dark Vigil, by Kevin Puts (I have a weird nomenclature system, don't I?). It's a set of four string quartets, all by living composers, performed here by the Ying Quartet (a family ensemble, I gather). It's the first in a planned series of Life Music disks and the second one is already out. The Ying Quartet is a discovery for me, and a welcome one.

"Dark Vigil" is a single-movement work that builds from smaller blocks of melody and adds lyrical interludes that have an easy, natural structure that the group illustrates with great verve and sensitivity. It's accompanied by Michael Torke's "Corner In Manhattan", which is a somewhat thin bit of work, although the third and final movement, "Houston Street In The Morning", has a pleasing, energetic pulse that the group plays with a slightly dusky sound that's just right.

Carter Pann's "Love Letters" is a torrid, romantic four movements that the group plays in a heated, florid style. Their performances are better than the composition here. They finish up the disk with Paquito D'Rivera's "The Village Street Quartet" which, like the second and third pieces isn't nearly as good as "Dark Vigil". I've known his work as a jazz saxophonist and you can hear the same melodic charms in this work that you can hear in his own performances.

While some of the pieces on this disk are not the best, they are elevated by the Ying Quartet's startlingly good judgment (and really, the compositions are not that awful). They have great versatility and I'm in love with their tuneful approach. Here's hoping the follow-up to this disk has better material!

8 out of 10

CDs listened to today:

• Thomas Adès: Arcadiana
• Beatles: A Hard Day's Night
• Kevin Puts: Dark Vigil
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Quintet
• Alana Davis: Blame It On Me