Deeper Waters (Selkie, 2006)

It takes a certain chutzpah to christen your debut CD "Deeper Waters", but Laura Vecchione enjoys boldness, whether it's testing the range of her own remarkable voice or exploring the intersections of country, blues and Dixieland. Vecchione's had several walks of life already as a New York jazz vocal student, Boston teacher and now Nashville recording artist.

Vecchione (rhymes with "Becky Tony") penned most of these tunes, save two terrific covers, serving up an auditory gumbo. The musicians clearly share the enthusiasm for the material, with a loose leash policy all over the record for slide guitars, gospel piano and even clarinet. When called for, though, both the production and Vecchione summon a wicked whisper of a delivery to aim right for the emotional center of a song, such as one lover who can't see it's over ("When The Fire's Gone") or the one she can't have yet ("Softly Slowly").

The standout is the title track - Vecchione takes a particularly dim view on those who covet trophy wives or homes or anything that stops at the surface. (It's even got a Gatsby citation.)

Thematically and musically, Vecchione cements the listener's trust on this collection, all through the simple persuasion of her own multifaceted vocal instrument.