Alexandra Caselli: Rough Edges

Whereas Aquarium was strictly a trio session, Caselli has chosen to enlarge the group this time, bolstering her core trio (bassist Jennifer Leitham, drummer Randy Drake) with a number of talented guests—trumpeter/vocalist Jonathan Dane, saxophonist Carol Chaikin, flutist Jennifer Hall and guitarist Brad Rabuchin. The trio is heard alone only on Caselli's ethereal ballad, "Butterfly Eyebrows. And unlike Aquarium, which embodied five standards, Caselli has written every tune on Edges, including two with lyrics—"Blues for Stevie and "Out of the Blue —both sung by Dane. Her compositions are charming if less than memorable, and she opens and closes with the best of them, the sunny "Waiting for Jennifer and New Orleans-inspired "Lift Me Up.

Hall, who is perhaps better known as a baritone saxophonist, is featured on alto flute on "Jennifer, "Colors of the Rain and "Still Time, Chaikin on alto ("Blues for Stevie ) and soprano sax ("If You Loved Me, "Rough Edges ), and Rabuchin on acoustic ("Colors of the Rain ) and electric guitar ("Jennifer, "Field Trip ). Besides singing, Dane solos on trumpet ("Lift Me Up ) and flugelhorn ("Out of the Blue, "Home at Last ). Admirable as her visitors are, I couldn't help wishing there were more Caselli and less company. In other words, if pressed to choose between albums I'd lean toward Aquarium, for that reason, and for the standards which are, to me, always preferable to originals, no matter how bright and agreeable the latter may be.

That's not meant to suggest that Edges is without merit, only that I'd rather hear Caselli in a cozier setting, as she was on Aquarium. If that sounds like lobbying for another threesome, let the chips fall as they may. Rough Edges certainly has its moments, some of the best when Caselli or Jennifer Leitham assumes a leading role. More of that wouldn't have been in any way excessive or displeasing.

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