*** The Jane Miller Group

THE OTHER ROOM

(Pink Bubble)

The beauty in Boston-area jazz guitarist Jane Miller's playing comes from the warm, sculpted tone of her instrument and her compositions. There's a sense of quiet to the dozen pieces she's written for her new CD, even when the sounds of urban bustle and country life do battle in the mix of "Home from Chicago" -- as they do in the minds of anyone pulled by the rush of city life and the call of a more rustic pace. Miller's guitar is front-and-center most of the time, her dark-toned notes weaving watercourse melodies through mostly mid- and slow-tempo arrangements. Pianist Tim Ray is her primary foil -- especially on "Home from Chicago and "That Was Summer," where they take turns coloring the settings. "Summer" also benefits from a shift in palette when Miller switches from electric to acoustic guitar after an introductory romp, evoking the warmth of the season with yet another gentle melody. It's her concentration on melody, as well as the sweetness of her sound, that will make this CD appealing to fans of early Pat Metheny. But Miller's been working diligently on crafting her own voice as a player for more than a decade, and that voice fills The Other Room. (Order from Pink Bubble at Box 230589, Astor Station, Boston 02123.)

-- Ted Drozdowski