As a program of music, Take Time to Listen makes an excellent case for hybridity. There are standards old and, in the making, songs associated with jazz and pop, plus six original compositions. While some, like “Autumn Leaves,” sustain an infectious tempo, others like “Summertime” argue that feelings establish their own metabolism. Earl Klugh’s “Mirabella” has a beautifully controlled ebb and flow, while “Some Day My Prince Will Come” and the Isley’s “For the Love of You” contain more unpredictably kinetic improvisations. As expected, Banfield the composer also displays his chops, albeit in a more intimate setting than is his norm. “AM for Birdie” may be the most likely earworm of the lot, a leaping tune with sustained energy; “Brooke” and “Her Serenade” strike this listener as the most heartfelt. Tradition shines through in “Pass Me the Blues,” a display of pre-urban roots and pure expression. All six originals capture a composer and a soloist rich in ideas. Beyond the merits of individual tracks, Take Time to Listen is a model of consistency. Each performance is the product of an artist overflowing with ideas, all contained within a concept all his own. This will not surprise those familiar with Bill Banfield the composer, the conductor, the bandleader, the educator. Add to that list Bill Banfield the guitarist. (Bob Blumenthal)