Francesco Cafiso

Angelica CamJazz ***

It's natural that, at 20, the Italian alto wunderkind, Francesco Cafiso, should try to move away from the great masters who shaped him, as this latest album, made in New York just over a year ago, shows.

A pickup rhythm section with such fine musicians as Aaron Parks (piano), Ben Street (bass) and Adam Cruz (drums), is a help; they're open and responsive. But Cafiso needs time to develop his own voice. On his originals, King Arthurand Waiting For, he occasionally tries too hard to be different, but fares better with the unusual progression of December 26th . The same duality is true of older pieces; Ellington's Angelica has an alto solo that also sounds forced at times, yet Horace Silver's Peaceprovokes a coherent, if retro, alto solo, for example. Cafiso is a notable talent, however, and this is another step on what promises to be a fascinating journey. www.CamJazz.com