His first tune rushed right out of the blocks and expressed the Coltrane legacy, a heads-down open arms approach to playing that strives to bring players and listeners into a trance-like state.

Bassist Kris Funn is playing a repeated bass figure. Pianist Carlos McKinney sounds and re-sounds with his left hand; his right hand is his mind streaming. Drummer Ronald Bruner asserts the polyrhythmic time. Garrett rocks up and down, up and down, his alto an instrument of ardent invocation.

But it seems he understood it's not for everyone — this intense mantra of modal jazz that served as an opener — so Garrett moved into a set that mostly had a strong R&B flavour and singable melodies.

When Garrett kicked off McCoy Tyner's tune, "Wayne's Thing", a funky and sophisticated urban shuffle, the crowd leaned forward and got involved. Others in the crowd got pulled in by the band's use of liberal and frequent 'quotes' in their solos, a practice which stems from Bop masters like Bird, Diz, and particularly Sonny Rollins.