RJ Miller & Bill McHenry

Boom, boom, boom: They came out hitting a few weeks ago. The drummer and tenor sax player have been rehearsing the nuances needed to turn a seemingly impromptu romp through standards–“Filthy McNasty,” “Impressions,” and other chestnuts–into a gig that has a good grip on the dynamics needed to make listeners sit up in their chairs. In other words, they wanted the music, regardless of informalities, to impress. From Miller’s snare cracks to McHenry’s skywriting, it worked. Bassist Thomas Morgan provides the big bottom this time round.

Wed., Aug. 25, 10 p.m., 2010