Love

The lightly swinging singer Terrie Richards Alden's second CD is a series of intimate duets with her husband, the phenomenal guitarist Howard Alden. She savors each lyric with clear intonation, and has a knack for emphasizing the essence of each melody. Howard Alden, one of the greatest guitarists of his generation, tends to play the precise accompaniment to back his wife without trying to steal the spotlight for himself on most tracks, though he does allow himself a flashy chorus on "What a Little Moonlight Can Do." The singer restores the amusing but often omitted verse to "Just in Time" and takes her time with the sentimental "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby." This enjoyable duo date should be considered an essential purchase by swing fans.