A brilliant pianist from Cuba who settled in Northern California, Omar Sosa is known for his adventurous nature and impressive technique. On A New Life, a solo piano disc, Sosa mostly emphasizes ballads with a fair number of the selections being relatively brief. Sosa was celebrating the birth of his son, and many of the pieces are quiet and melodic although there are occasional burners included for variety. The results are thoughtful if not quite essential. – Scott Yanow