Gordon Vernick and his social hour quintet

Trumpeter Gordon Vernick brought a quartet featuring tenor saxophonist Sam Skelton to the High Museum Friday for the ever-popular Jazz at the High concert series. This season, Gary Motley, Victor Goines and a host of others have played for patrons in the High museum atrium in Midtown. These sessions are always well attended by a variety of age groups; young couples mill about in the manufactured bar area and chat, while jazz lovers sit at small tables in front of the bandstand.

During the final set of the evening on Friday, Vernick’s band played a handful of standards. Kevin Bales, his flat fingers banging against the piano keys, shined, creating solos that built in intensity and musical ingenuity. Skelton showed off a round tenor sound that climbed to the attic of the instrument’s register. On Vernick’s ballad “The Strangest Thing,” Skelton shouldered his tenor in favor of a light soprano timbre. Through it all, Venick’s cool demeanor and shiny trumpet sound kept the music together.

At Jazz at the High music competes with socializing, creating a cocktail/hookup/unwind atmosphere. But regardless of the background noise, the presence of a venue that promotes high quality local acts can’t be overlooked.