With Bill Nitler's baritone sax and Jeff Smith's bass clarinet blazing over Alex Lambert's convulsive percussions, LIE AND SWELL out-heaves and skronks any other jazz bands on the block. Like witnessing the stage energy of Black Flag filtered through three unassuming and unpretentious players who really know how to play, Lie and Swell's shows bring the noise, but never forget the melodies. Offering up the occasional cover of the Butthole Surfers' "Cherub" in front of a mixed crowd of Atlanta's sauciest and most irreverent show-goers, the group balances frantic sophistication against unrivaled tension and release. less...

When it comes to Atlanta jazz piano, GARY MOTLEY is the first name you're likely to hear, and rightly so. Motley has performed with everyone from Joe Lovano to Dave Brubeck to Whoopi Goldberg. He works with the Alliance Theatre, is a frequent performer at Churchill Grounds and teaches jazz improvisation at Emory University, where he also directs the school's jazz combos. "garymotley.tripod.com" less...

Vocalist/pianist FREDDY COLE, at 71 is a "local" artist in that Atlanta is his home, and has been for 31 years. However, he is in fact quite literally a world-class performer, more likely to perform in Europe or Southeast Asia than here in our fair city. Brother of the late Nat "King" Cole, Freddy is his own man, and fully deserving of his achievements, a vocalist of impeccable touch and timing and a distinctive, silky tone.

"www.fantasyjazz.com."

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Pianist Gary Motley is Atlanta's premiere ambassador for straight-ahead jazz. His knowledge of the genre and his talent as an instrumentalist enable him to recognize both the essence and the full range of musical possibility within the songs he performs. He's a gifted songwriter as well, as evidenced on his gentle December 2000 release, "Compassion", which utilizes the trio setting to showcase his original tunes. He's performed with Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard and others, and has been a guest on Marian McPartland's NPR program, "Piano Jazz. Of late, he's played frequently at the new jazz venue, the High Note at the Vault, is a regular weekend performer at Churchill Grounds, and recently performed at Spivey Hall and at The W.C. Handy Jazz Festival in Florence, Ala. less...

RandyCastello@aol.com. With its irregular rhythms and atonality, free-form improvised music can be an acquired taste at best, a tiresome indulgence at worst. But local trio the Flakes put their clashing guitars and drums to good use by veering toward slightly more cohesive interplay. It's made all the more palatable by the series of obscure, sometimes hilarious, educational films projected behind them. In fact, the sounds become remarkably appropriate. less...

Sure, the jazz purists may pop a blood vessel over this one ("They picked a lady who does Sting songs?!"), but there's no denying the people's love for this golden-throated chanteuse. Hughes and her band make jazz accessible and fun, even for those who wouldn't know Coltrane from Cole Skinner. less...

In the Spirit provides a steadily evolving, straight-ahead jazz release for five of Atlanta's heaviest hitters. Saxophonist Kebbi Williams, pianist Kenny Banks, bassist Ramon Pooser and drummer Eric Vaughn are swinging harder than any switch-hitter on the Braves and, likewise, should be packing monstrous stadiums. They're that good. Add to their mix the wunderkind, sultry vocalist Lizz Wright, and In the Spirit becomes unbeatable. less...