By John Janowiak

Though their number was reduced to seven (bassist Harrison Bankhead was unable to attend), 8 Bold Souls nevertheless gave a bold and soulful performance on this occasion, their last in a series of weekly gigs at Hot House's colorful digs on East Balbo Avenue. The group, conceived by saxophonist/clarinetist Edward Wilkerson, Jr. some 15 years ago, still balances warm, Afrocentric, occasionally funky and always brassy statements with a free-jazz approach in the tradition of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). The beginning of their first set, in fact, was pure improvisation. As the musicians painted light, airy strokes, Robert Griffin blew into the reverse end of his piccolo trumpet for an effect that sounded not unlike an expressive duck call. Then, as Wilkerson laid down a sinuous riff on tenor sax, each musician settled into a pattern of his or her own, divergent, but somehow woven together into a polyrhythmic whole. It led into a tenor sax solo by Wilkerson, dripping with attitude, personality and a confidence that strode forward even when he played very softly. And when the groove dissipated into freeness again, the stage was set for Mwata Bowden to improvise, on clarinet, around a jagged motif that gradually climbed in range and intensity to the exciting accompaniment of drummer Dushun Mosley. Another catharsis, then the band settled into a meditative section marked by Mosley's shimmering, mallet-struck cymbals and Wilkerson's throbbing tenor. Then the kicker: After all these expressions of male rage, the band's sole female voice--and its most melodic one--emerged from the woodwork. With a clear, rich tone on cello, Naomi Millender improvised a cappella over a sad, somewhat folksy melody.

The free improvisation lasted nearly a half hour, but the crowd's interest never lagged, since each time a soloist took center stage, it was like a song within a song. And there was more to come. In tunes like "Gang of Four," "The Last Option" and "The Cheepo," Wilkerson's quirky songwriting and arranging skills were put on display. We were treated to odd-meter time signatures, bursts of drums followed by abrupt pauses, and swirling caldrons of brass and reeds alternated with pedal tones and riffs laid down by tuba and trombone. Often it's the lower brass parts that keep this group grounded, churning out catchy lines that would appeal to virtually anyone, even those who are unacquainted with the avant-garde. One audience member even danced during much of the set, though she clearly had a more sophisticated sense of rhythm than most.

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