Ambient, clean and, to a degree, hypnotic. Those are the immediate thoughts that come to mind with Leslie Pintchik’s In the Nature of Things (Pintch Hard Records, 2014).

A pianist and composer, Pintchik says she chose the title to reflect the feeling she had that all the musicians honored the fundamental intent and nature of the music as she conceived it. Those musicians are Steve Wilson, alto and soprano saxophones; Ron Horton, trumpet and flugelhorn; Scott Hardy, bass; Michael Sarin, drums; and Satoshi Takeishi, percussion.

Either they’re warning you of an immediate threat, or they’re hiding something. More likely the former as Pintchik and her companions play “I’d Turn Back If I Were You.” The threat is if you keep listening, you’re going to find yourself knee deep in delight. The horns contribute a little here and there, but it’s mostly about the piano, bass, drums and percussion. Sarin and Takeishi play well off the leader, each seemingly doing his own thing while staying connected.

“Luscious,” like several tracks on this outing, is a tranquil piece. The song has a romantic mood. One can visualize a couple dancing alone in an elegant living room. The horns blend softly in the background during the main sequence. Wilson comes in later with a charming soprano sax solo. Sarin’s stick work punctuates at key times. Hardy stretches out a bit as well.

Before starting her musical career, Pintchik taught English literature as a teaching assistant at Columbia University, where she also received her Master of Philosophy degree in 17th-century English literature. Her regular trio features Hardy and a series of drummers, performing regularly at New York City jazz venues. Her debut recording, So Glad to Be Here, was released in 2004 on Ambient.

Pintchik composed eight of the nine songs on In the Nature of Things.