Pianist Ran Blake's discography includes some remarkable duet recordings with vocalists, ranging from 1961 with Jeanne Lee, to 2006 and again in 2010 with Christine Correa. However, the newly released Whirlpool (from sessions in 2004 and 2008), featuring Dominique Eade, may be the best yet. Longtime teaching colleagues at the New England Conservatory of Music, Blake and Eade have performed together numerous times, but Whirlpool is the first recorded document of their musical association.

Eade's 2006 CD, Open, a riveting duet with young pianist Jed Wilson, may have been a preview of what to expect, but Wilson sounded downright mainstream compared to how the nonpareil Blake interacts with Eade on Whirlpool. An advocate and purveyor of Third Stream music, which combines elements of jazz and modern classical music, Blake has developed an approach that is never less than thought-provoking and is brilliantly original at its best. As for Eade, her effortless and seemingly limitless ability to vary both her vibrato and tonal quality, and cleverly utilize intervallic leaps, while speeding up or slowing down unpredictably in navigating a lyric, help make her a most flexible and adventurous match for Blake. They are harmonically and melodically attuned to one another.

The opening "My Foolish Heart" finds Eade flirting on the edge of tonality in rapport with Blake. Controlled atonality and out-of-tempo pacing characterize this unique interpretation. "The Wind" contains very moving and expressive Eade, bending notes and phrasing in unexpected directions. Blake's solo is a ruminating mix of "inside" and "outside " playing.

There are two versions of "Dearly Beloved." Blake's solo on the first shows his easeful capability to play on the changes when so inclined. Eade is always creating, looking for new angles and fresh voicings. The second version is more laid-back, and the rich beauty of Eade's voice shines through brightly. Blake's improv is of course much different from his first take on this tune, and nothing less should be anticipated.

Eade's soothing gospel-like composition "Go Gently to the Water" is given a straight-forward reading by both artists, while "Old Devil Moon" is an intense track that provides an emotional release. "Bewitching" indeed, and Eade's final run is stunning. The singer's wordless vocal on "Pinky" showcases her total command, nearly operatic in effect.

"Falling" is handled mostly in rubato fashion, and Eade accentuates the "falling" aspect--as in back to earth--in her segments of accelerated phrasing. The more reflective, slower concluding section gives the treatment a satisfying balance. The short but sweet "Where are You?" is sung relatively straight by Eade, but with Blake's accompaniment always provocative and unyielding to convention.

"Out of this World" is sung slower than usual, which only adds to the allure of the lyric's message. On the other hand, "The Thrill is Gone" is taken faster than normal by Eade, although Blake slows it to a crawl with his spacy solo. Quincy Jones' "The Pawnbroker" finds Eade's interpretive powers at their peak level. The closing "After the Ball" offers Blake's most decorous solo, but his comping here is anything but that.

Hopefully we will not have to wait as long for a sequel to this invigorating CD as we did for its most welcome emergence.