One of the more refreshing and original musicians on today’s scene makes two appearances at the Stone Church over the next ten days. The saxophonist known by one name, Skerik, brings his Syncopated Taint Septet to the Stone Church in Newmarket this Friday evening for a 9 p.m. show in what promises to be an evening where creative music meets hard-core groove.  Skerik returns on Friday, Nov. 3, as a member of Bobby Previte’s Coalition of the Willing. Joining Skerik in what drummer Previte describes as his “Super Bar Band” will be guitar wizard Charlie Hunter and organ master Robert Walter.

Skerik describes his Syncopated Taint Septet as a “punk-jazz version of the Thelonious Monk Octet.” I would add that the STS also sounds like a distorted 21st-century version of Duke Ellington’s small bands from the 1920s and ’30s. That may sound like musical heresy to the more mainstream or traditional jazz fans out there, but that’s OK. In jazz, pulling a little from the past and mixing it with the present is needed in order to move the music into the future. Rigid musical barriers are meaningless to the STS, something that is apparent on the group’s provocative new CD, “Husky,” on Hyena Records.

I don’t have space for a full blown review here, but what I will say is that the music on this recording goes beyond the open-ended solo routine commonly found on more conventional jazz recordings today. The music here is full of incisive colors, textures and grooves, and the ensemble is as important, if not more so, than individual contributions, even though the band is loaded with excellent soloists. Nor does Skerik turn the session into a leader-accompanied-by-a-band type of date. Everyone gets an opportunity to make their individual statements. “Husky” is the ultimate in “team-first” ensemble music. It burns. It grooves. And it’s by far one of the few top-notch releases in a year when there have been few.

And a word about the Bobby Previte show on Friday, Nov. 3—knowing the high level of creativity amongst the members of the band and Previte’s “anything goes” approach to music in general, the Coalition of the Willing could be one of the highlight shows of the year in this area. If you like adventurous music with a touch of humor, do check it out.

Some other CDs that have come my way over the summer and early fall place an emphasis on musicians with ties to the local area. “Indigo Rose” is the self-produced new release from Epping native and current NYC resident Mary Gatchell. This is a nice collection of original tunes that combine folk, rock and a touch of jazz into a nice cohesive blend. Gatchell’s lyrics are full of glimpses into her world, at times emphasizing love and relationships, and at times covering more serious subjects like the state of the world, war and peace. She’s not preachy, but rather more like an observer offering an understated opinion that rings true. Her music is honest and at times joyful, and Gatchell’s a talent to watch for. For more info, visit www.marygatchell.com.

Current UNH music instructor and trumpeter Tom Palance is prominently featured on The Crawdads’ “Don’t Lose Your Tale.” The Maryland-based band draws heavily on New Orleans music grooves to build some pleasurable moments, as on the raucous versions of “Sing, Sing, Sing” and “Caravan,” as well as some humorous moments, as on the tune “Her Mind Is Gone.” Palance gets in some superb solo moments on most of the 11 cuts on the disc, notably on “St. James Infirmary” and the delightful closer “Gabriella’s Waltz.” Although the various New Orleans grooves applied to much of the music sometimes sound more contrived than natural, it’s still a fun disc to check out. It’s available at www.cdbaby.com.

“Something I Know” is the debut recording from vibraphonist/drummer Neil Shilansky, a UNH graduate and the brother of pianist Mark Shilansky. The CD, available through www.neilshilansky.com, is a wonderful mix of originals and standard tunes full of energy and joy. The playing from both Shilanskys is excellent throughout, and the contributions from various guests, including saxophonists Marc LaForce and Jim Pisano and vocalist Lauren Wool, are equally stellar. This is a fine CD that features a wide variety of grooves and moods all with a strong jazz sensibility.

Finally, Boston-based saxophonist Mike Tucker’s “Collage” is just that—a rich layering of styles and textures that acknowledge the jazz tradition without being bound by that tradition. Tucker is a fiery and imaginative player with an equally adept backing trio matching him stride-for-stride. Tucker, who has made several recent appearances at the Press Room, has a rich, warm sound on the tenor sax that’s heard to especially good effect on tunes like “Kathy,” “Double Mambo” and the closer, “Mbira.” Trumpet player Eric Bloom makes the most of his guest spot on the opener “Fanfare,” with a wickedly fiery and well paced solo. The CD is available at www.tuckerjazz.com.

See you next month. Don’t forget to make your voice heard and vote at the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 7.