Make love, not war

Trees played host to a hippie love-fest Friday as the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and Sound Tribe Sector 9 helped the sandal-clad audience celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Unfortunately, little love was lost between the audience and the opening band. Billed as an improvisational jam band, JFJO did improvise songs dedicated to the redwood forests and the corporate machine taking over American democracy – but there was no heart in the performance.

It could have been because there was very little audience participation, save the long-haired brunette in a low-slung flowered skirt twirling back towards the bar, but the songs lacked focus.

The Oklahoma trio, together since 1994, is known for its ability to feed off an audience to produce music that ebbs and flows with the mood of those watching them. But Friday night, there was no connection. Perhaps the audience wasn’t expecting such an outrageous display from Brian Haas, melodica and acoustic piano player, whose whiplash-inducing displays of torso flexibility were unexplained until he announced the title of the trio’s most recent improvisation “Who likes to eat mushrooms?”

Needless to say, the audience was more than happy to welcome Sound Tribe Sector 9 to the stage.

STS9 played a set worthy of any live CD. Equal parts improvisation and band standards, the gig showcased a musical talent not evident in the opener. Zach Velmer’s drum beats blended smooth jams with hip-hop hooks while Dave Phipps brought a lightness to the band’s sound. This is truly a jazz band of the highest standard.

“For My Peeps,” a proven crowd-favorite, was a playful reminder of childhood joys, as was “Circus.”

The audience, rooted to the floor during JFJO’s set, was dancing until close as lights, coordinated with the music, bounced off of crystals hung in front of the stage.

Suddenly the hippies didn’t look so out of place at Trees. Obviously someone had found the magic absent during the opening band’s set.