NEW RELEASES : In Brief

* * 1/2 Roy Hargrove and Antonio Hart, “The Tokyo Sessions,” Novus/RCA. Hargrove’s trumpet and Hart’s alto sax are supported by an all-Japanese rhythm section at a date recorded in Tokyo. Basically this is a 1960s-style hard bop session, using such material as Oscar Pettiford’s “Bohemia After Dark” and Nat Adderley’s “Work Song” with confident but seldom inspired work by both hornmen. Hargrove does justice to “I Remember Clifford” and both leaders are in relaxed form on “Love Your Spell Is Everywhere.” Pianist Yutaka Shina leads the rhythm group well enough, with Masahiko Osaka on drums and Tomoyuki Shima on bass. “Lotus Blossom” is not the Billy Strayhorn composition, but a like-titled bop piece by Kenny Dorham.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).