Some 1,800 folks, willing to sacrifice themselves to the whims of Mother Nature in the face of common sense, must know what they're doing. Some may say that they didn't have enough sense to come in out of the rain. What would make them behave so irrationally? The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.

        Kettering's outdoor Fraze Pavilion was the scene of such lunacy Friday evening, despite the threatening clouds and area weather reports. The assembled became a community of plastic ponchos and the like, just swinging in the rain.

        Mr. Marsalis was impressed. “We appreciate you all braving the weather,” he said and then proceeded to lead the 15-piece LCJO in a varied program.

        The majority of the band is less than 40 years old (Mr. Marsalis turns 40 in October), yet they deliver a sound that echoes from a half century ago. That full, rich sound reflects the talent and discipline that fuels the orchestra.

        Mother Nature must be a jazz fan. The rain let up to a steady drizzle just as the music began The high point of the first set was “Sisters” which featured a stunning drum solo by Herlin Riley.

        There were more slack jaws when the baby of the bunch, Seneca Black, 23, unleashed a blistering turn on trumpet.

        The rain relented a bit more during the second half. With a nod to composer Charles Mingus, LCJO served up “Mexican Moods,” a three-song suite. The arrangements captured the juxtaposition of textures and colors that Mr. Mingus is known for.

        “Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife,” another Mingus composition, had a mellow start, with a somewhat solemn sax solo, before it began to swing. Senior bandmate Joe Temperly offered a solid solo turn on his baritone sax.

        Pianist Peter Martin shone on the evening's finale from the Pulitzer Prize-winning opus Blood on the Fields, providing alternating moods of blues and gospel.

        And those lunatics? I'm glad I stayed out in the rain.

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