I walked into the Kodak Hall at 7:30 p.m. Monday to catch the XRIJF-ESM Scholarship Concert, which was listed in the official Jazz Fest guide (and everywhere else) as starting at 8 p.m. But apparently it started at 7 p.m., since the scholarships had already been handed out and the Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra had already performed. So that was disappointing. I caught the tail end of the explanation that the Jazz Fest is apparently underwriting the scholarship awards in honor of Gerry Niewood - the local jazz luminary who died in a plane crash just more than a year ago - until a properly endowed fund can be set up. That's good to hear.

After Jazz Fest Director John Nugent urged the young jazz musicians on stage to "keep howling," everybody packed up and left, and I thought for a few minutes that I had completely missed the show. But just as quickly the Eastman Jazz Ensemble swept on to the stage and set up, and I knew from note one that I was in for a treat.

The ensemble, under the direction of Bill Dobbins, started out with two songs, "Fingers" by Thad Jones and "Whittle Posts" by Matt Podd, one of the scholarship winners of the night (although he wasn't in attendance). "Fingers" basically turned into one long string of solos, starting off on trumpet, then to guitar, then to five different saxophonists who all took turns, and then concluding on piano. There was a lot of prodigious playing go on, especially in the sax section, where the performers all seemed to be trying to out-play the player before them. "Whittle Posts" was an exciting new composition, spotlighting the big, bright brass section.

After that the special guest performer joined the stage. Alto saxophonist Dave Glasser attended the Eastman School in the 1970's and has gone on to do all kinds of amazing things in the jazz world. He joined the ensemble as a featured soloist for a half-dozen more songs, from originals like "Rebop" and "Above the Clouds" (both arranged by Dobbins), to standards by Strayhorn and Coltrane. All of it was fantastic.

Glasser is more than a musician, he is a storyteller. His saxophone sings, and man does it have range. The ensemble was equally up to the task. I especially enjoyed when the sax section switched to clarinets for "Above the Clouds," giving the melancholy song a sweeter reed sound. Glasser explained that he performed Strayhorn's "Blood Count" as his senior recital at ESM, and his runs on that song (all of the songs, really) seemed to go on for days.

For a final number he led the group through "After You've Gone," an almost raucous arrangement that Glasser said was getting its premiere that evening. Given how upbeat the song was, I don't think the subject of the piece was particularly well liked. It sounded like after they left the rest of the group decided to throw a party. Sounds like my kind of crowd.

The show was moderately attended, which confounded me. Glasser is a world-class saxophonist, and the ESM ensemble is electrifying. And the show was free! It was an opportunity to hear amazing music in a gorgeous venue for literally absolutely nothing. I don't understand why the place wasn't packed to the rafters. Ah, well. More leg room for me.

Tuesday I'm planning to see the Royal Welsh College of Music at Christ Church's UK stage and banjo prodigy Allison Brown at the Big Tent.