NEW RELEASES : ‘Interlude’ a Barometer of Marsalis’ New Warmth : *** WYNTON MARSALIS “Blue Interlude” <i> Columbia</i>

Marsalis, the trumpeter whose critical acclaim has been almost universal but who has nonetheless met with mixed reactions from the jazz community at large, has made his best album. He is finally letting go of the edge and coldness that have long marked both his improvisations and his compositions and is instilling his work with considerable warmth. He is by no means a mature jazzman, but he at last seems to be on his way.

The album’s 40-minute title track, written by the leader and subtitled “The Bittersweet Saga of Sugar Cane and Sweetie Pie,” is a seamless mixture of moods that spotlights the various members of Marsalis’ septet. Despite its length, it maintains listener interest.

There are sections that recall Ellington small-band sounds, particularly in the blend of Todd Williams’ clarinet with the leader’s vocal-like horn, whose glowing, expansive tone these days resembles that of Clark Terry, one of the Duke’s favorites.

Other sections are much more contemporary. At one point, pianist Marcus Roberts, revealing his fondness for McCoy Tyner’s powerhouse style, tosses 16-bar phrases back and forth with altoist Wessell Anderson, who is in a pleasing, post-Cannonball Adderley frame of mind.

There are some blues here too, as when Williams and Anderson engage in 12-bar exchanges at a brisk up-tempo. Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, another man with a broad, beaming sound, shines in both solo and ensemble roles. His composition “And the Band Played On” is a look at ‘20s to ‘30s New Orleans-style music and seems out of place here, but Williams’ “The Jubilee Suite” fits right in.

The album’s main drawback is the leader’s ponderous, boring five-minute oral introduction to his title opus. He should have let the horn do all his talking.

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent). A rating of five stars is reserved for classic reissues or retrospectives.