Elina Duni & Rob Luft

Even the quartet albums by Elina Duni and Rob Luft—featuring Matthieu Michel and Fred Thomas—had a certain air of transparency, a certain iridescence, and a sense of freedom in the most beautiful sense of the word. From traditional Albanian music to chanson and folk to jazz, this band was able to mysteriously transform itself across all genres and moods. Perhaps this is even more true of their latest duo project: Duni’s voice—sensitive, wistful, and at home in nine languages—and Luft’s versatile guitar playing, which weaves harmonious textures, delicately yet distinctively bring out the essence of the pieces. Their latest album is titled “Reaching for the Moon.” Irving Berlin’s song serves as the opener, followed by masterful interpretations of Coleman’s “Lonely Woman,” a Kosovar folk song and a Persian lullaby, an Italian ballad and a French art song, along with film music themes by Shigeru Umebayashi and Krzysztof Komeda. And last but not least, original compositions that hold their own alongside the classics.