Mike Blackmore and Chris Molyneaux at Degroot's Fusion: A discovery of Local Food and Wine. The instant I heard singer/guitarist Mike Blackmore and saxophone player Chris Molyneaux sounding like they'd never missed a gig together it was clear things were fine in this corner of the world. When the players are good and the chemistry is there "just a duo" means getting to listen more of the great things the musicians can do. The larger (and noisier) venue meant Mike had the volume needed tomake the sound of his guitar come through like an axe and his beats did just that. I've said before that as a guitarist he makes a hell of a drummer and that point was never more in evidence than on this occasion. It was perfect to for Chris to work from and he responded with playing that was dazzling in its virtuosity and ravishingly beautiful with the clarity of his focus. On a heart rending performance of 'People Get Ready' he created an image of waves enveloping a ship, rolling along and carrying it gently to shore. That's just one example. Beautifully controlled tone, delicious shaping of notes, impeccable dynamics and wonderful fluidity forms expressions of indescribable beauty that comes about with a sense that he does it while seeing patterns and simply following them seamlessly to their most logical conclusions. And it's only getting better. He works hard and the difference in his playing over just a few months was immediately stunning. The person who was happiest about it was Mike, and that's one of the things that sets him apart. His "kid in a candy store" outlook combines wonderment with the knowledge that things like that make the music better. It showed in his singing, his playing, and in the fun the two of them had together.