Members of Tucson, Arizona's musical community form a sort of extended family that centers on members of Giant Sand and the Wavelab Studios where many of them record. Two members of that "family" have recently released CDs of side projects, one a solo effort, the other a trio.

John Convertino is best known as a drummer, mainly now in Calexico, but also over the years as a member of Giant Sand and OP8 as well as on sessions too numerous to document. On Ragland, his debut full-length solo record, he has crafted an album of piano-and-drum music that draws from classical, jazz and avant-garde schools.

It's a record at once thoughtful and emotional, exploring mainly somber moods in a variety of settings. Some of the pieces are obviously piano-driven, with drums and vibraphone added to deepen the textures or comment on the melody; others just as clearly started as drumming exercises to which piano countermelodies have been added. And some, like the first track, "Curb," combine elements of both. It begins with a series of major chords, punctuated by kick-drum thuds and cymbal crashes, but in the final third of the five-minute piece the drums take over to drive a swinging march, and vibraphone notes brighten things considerably.

Ragland was recorded in Convertino's Tucson home, and at times has the feel of a field recording. This is especially true on "Street Turn River," an homage to his neighborhood that's reminiscent of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata," in which chirping birds can be heard in the background. The following track, "Rain Makes Frame," is a highly programmatic representation of a summer thunderstorm, the descending piano notes depicting rain, the tom-tom thunder and the cymbals variously lightning and the sounds of cars driving through puddles.

Also highly evocative are two church-related pieces. "When Mass Was Said in Latin" with its clarion piano and vibes calls to mind stately church bells, and "Comb Your Hair With Water and Go to Church" features a hymn-like piano melody with drums commenting almost ironically. The mechanical rhythms of "Piston" are offset by the shimmering, mirage-like quality of "Sun Still," and the lone cover tune is a melancholy meditation on "Home On the Range," here titled "Buffalo Roam (No Home Here)."

Ragland is hardly light listening, and couldn't be much different from Convertino's usual fare with Calexico, but it's an effective and engaging album of piano works.

Nick Luca has been involved in engineering and playing on records by Giant Sand, Calexico and many others at Wavelab in Tucson for a decade or so. This debut recording of the Nick Luca Trio is a mostly low-key collection of songs that run the gamut from jazzy soul to slow rockers to Latin-influenced folk-rock and jazz fusion dance music. With the exception of a couple of instrumentals, they're all built around Luca's whispery vocals and his lightly played keyboard and guitars. Rounding out the trio are drummer Jim Kober and bassist Chris Giambelluca.

This is an album that tends to grow on you with repeated listens. There's a lot to like in the Stevie Wonder-like synth burbles and anthemic chorus of "You Are You," the Beatles-influenced "What's Your Excuse," and the bossa-beat of "Recovery." Most coherent lyrically is the folky "Song to Sing," which also features friendly strummed guitars and soulful organ. The instrumental "Wrong Turn" reflects on Herbie Hancock's '70s work, while the other instrumental, "Elect-X," has a powerful dance beat and jazz-fusion keys and guitar. The title track is all California road-trip groove, '80s style, with cool muted trumpet setting the mood.

All in all, SlowMotion is an eclectic album with a little something for many tastes.