Rare visit from John Tchicai delivers haunting tunes.

"John Tchicai has been around, although not often enough in these parts. While he co llaborated with John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, and others in the '60s, the bulk of his career was spent in his native Denmark. Recently relocated to California, he is now finding his way to Boston about once every five years. The bi-coastal quintet he led a t the Regattabar, which grew out of his friendship with fellow saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase, raises the hope that his visits might become more common.

Tchicai is the product of a Congolese father and a Danish mother, which makes him a world musican by birth. His first set touched upon South African and Peruvian melodies, added local color via Kohlhase's compositions and also included his own and his wife Margriet Naber-Tchicai's originals. Playing tenor sax, his main horn for the past decade, Tchicai's music was as haunting as ever.

As both composer and coloist, Tchicai likes to work in collage. His tune "Scholer's Fountain of Life" nods to both "Parker's Mood" and the circus midway over a Latin vamp, and his seven-beat "Slow down Boreas" alternativ ely suggested "Camptown Races" and a spiritual. A similar non-linear bent marks his improvisations. Phrases are wrestled and pulled, insistent episodes turn wind-blown, and his intiguing gelatinous tenor sound expands for climactic emphases.

Kohlhase is a longtime Tchicai fan, and both his alto and baritone provided impeccable assistance. The slow crying of the saxophonists on "Cancel Values", with pianist Naber-Tchicai and bassist John Turner repeating a simple phrases as drummer Harvey Wirh t imposed faster drum figures to ominous effect, created a mobile melodic field, full of shadows and distorted focus. "His Tulips Were Soft as Berries" also featured an attractively grainy conjunction of the saxes over composer Naber-Tchicai's Satie-like waltz figu re, as well as a spry Turner solo where the bassist sounded delighted to be done with vamping.

height="1"A weezing, mysterious pipe organ effect was created by synthesizer, bowed bass, and the saxes on the set's magical closer, the Peruvian folk song "Llanto del Indio". An infectious high-life by the late South African bassist Johnny Dyani (Tchicai's partner at a memorable 1986 Villa Vicoria appearance) provided contrasting celebration. Two Kohlhase tunes, "Dart Night at the Willow" (a fast swinger with a tail tied to its bridge) and "The International Wingo Conspiracy" (an inquisitive, collectively embellished gambol) added parochial references.

Whatever the source, the musicians sounded totally at home. Let's hope there are enough bookings and frequent fly er miles to make this first-time band one of the Tchicais' regular destinations."