Soprano saxophone virtuoso Sidney Bechet and hot cornetist Muggsy Spanier are remembered by jazz fans for the wonderful, inventive duets they performed. Noel Kaletsky has captured the unique Bechet style and will revive the famous pair's work with the help of Ed Polcer's fluid cornet.

Versatile reed player Noel Kaletsky will lead a talented quartet in a rare NJ appearance for the Jazz Series of the Watchung Arts Center on Friday evening, October 30. In addition to cornetist Ed Polcer, he will be backed by guitarist James Chirillo and Jon Lesser on tuba and keyboard. Tickets for the 8 PM concert are only $10, including light intermission refreshments.

Worshiped as a demi-god in his native Connecticut, Noel Kaletsky has so many fans that he must play in several bands to satisfy the demand. At a recent jazz festival, he was featured in fully 3/4 of the musical sets, barely giving him time to get from one stage to another. No New England festival is complete without his participation. He plays clarinet and various saxophones from soprano to tenor, but always with style and passion.

Ed Polcer is "first call" cornet when an all-star band is assembled, and for good reason. The veteran jazzman thrilled audiences nightly at Eddie Condon's Club in Manhattan when The Big Apple was the center of the jazz universe. His driving horn delighted fans at the Chickenfat Ball, an annual gathering of jazz aficionados that has become a coveted gig for musicians.

The rhythm section is compact, but James Chirillo on guitar and Jon Lesser on both tuba and keyboard are up to the task. Both are seasoned pros who are popular in jazz circles, as much with musicians as fans, a significant compliment, due to their competence and improvisational capabilities.