Ahmad Jamal

You never quite know what the guy’s going to do. Quips fly from his right hand; queries bubble up on the left. They’re linked by a devastating sense of swing, an addiction to group interaction, and a deep trust in melody. Pushing 80, the pianist remains one of the most intriguing improvisers around, and on the recent A Quiet Time, his trio’s concept resounds with a deeply mercurial approach that’s built on a steady string of cagey phrases. Don’t take him for granted.

May 25-30, 8 & 10:30 p.m., 2010