Jacob Adams is renowned in ragtime circles not only for his virtuosity as a classically-trained pianist, but also as one of today's foremost composers of ragtime. In his debut recording, Adams performs 13 finely-crafted gems of modern ragtime by Larry Porter and Adams himself. The works are rhythmic, melodic, and often bittersweet, but also daring and surprising. Some are wryly humorous, others are achingly nostalgic, and still others are dazzling showstoppers, though the emphasis (as the title suggests) is on works that exude a mental calmness -- a sense of quiet comfort -- in the midst of challenging times. We hesitate to call it "soul" music (since that implies another genre altogether), but this really is ragtime for the soul. We expect that piano lovers will play it often. CD includes an 8-page booklet with program notes by the pianist. 13 tracks, 60 minutes.