Jazz Quartet br br to Peanuts Taylor br br br I br br The saxophone makes br love to the mike in cool br excursions to distant br galaxies and back, br br the instrument so heavy br in the musician's arms, br so full of metal buttons, br if he'd worn fatigues br you might have thought it br some kind of weird artillery. br br Meanwhile, his friend br the bass player's br deft fingers weave br a complex spider web br of all the combo's sounds, br br and as the drumbeat br feeds Time's tick br into the mix, br br a protean br auditory creature br starts to move, br br a benign golem fashioned br from the incantatory strains. br br Now the piano takes br its rollercoaster ride br across the keys above br the net of woven rhythm. br br II br br Every song, though, br seems a mixed drink br poured from the same carafe', br brewed with metal, wood, and ivory br br and aged in a distillery br where sounds imbibe br from nearby subway trains br and traffic horns. br br The blue and purple br stage lights too glint br urban reflections br off the gold and silver metal br and the ivory and ebony, br br growing gentler, though, br br when shining off br the heart-shaped br chiaroscuro br of the bass. br br br III br br br Later, in a nearby br small cafe, br we hear an old man br crooning ballads br as he plays br a simple keyboard, br br and we find br the one part missing br in the jazz quartet's br energetic, ranging beast: br the soul. br br The old man smiles br and folds br his hands br in gentle greeting. br br Our evening br is complete.