Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey kicked off an April Tuesday night residency at Harper's Ferry this past week. Heads packed the Allston venue with a vibe that oozed with anticipation of spring and the festivals that are just around the corner. A small percentage of the audience was there in support of guitar phenomenon Steve Kimock, who performed as a special guest alongside talented bassist Reed Mathis, keyboardist Brian Haas and drummer Jason Smart.The evening got rolling with Kimock playing electric guitar alongside Mathis on acoustic, as they twiddled a slow walk through a meadow to the attentive crowd. Smart came out for the next song, keeping a soft steady jazz beat as Mathis crooned the prophetic Joni Mitchell lyrics "We're only particles of change orbiting around the sun."

Haas then appeared, completing the night's quartet.

Their spacey start morphed into a Steve Kimock Band tune, much to the crowd's delight. This version was not as supportive and integrative as the original, but it did go into novel reggae and jazzy directions. Haas shone brightly from this point as he played the music emotionally with his entire body. He then laid the groove down on "Thelonius Monk is My Grandmother" with Mathis introducing the high melodic style of bass playing that persisted throughout the night. Here they exhibited some choppy blues grooves interspersed with some danceable moments, highlighted by Kimock talking with his slide.

Later in the night they played yet another cover, this time of John Coltrane's "India." In this piece Mathis held up and played a miniature upright bass like a guitar, at times producing fun mariachi-like melodies. But really, acknowledging any melody is a stretch here.

The entire night I was in search of the classic tension and release jam flowing that I have come to expect from the next jamband, but it wasn't there. The group did however epitomize the next step in experimental jazz. It was an intense mental challenge to find the path that the music forged. I was able to keep up with it only for so long, after which time it left me with a headache and a longing for a good night's sleep. For those with a fully developed appreciation for jazz, I highly urge you to check out one of their remaining Tuesday shows at Harper's Ferry this April. If, however, you're looking for some good easy listening jams, then I suggest staying home and sparking up some mp3s.