Brought to The Lyric in Blacksburg through the efforts of Virginia Tech music professor James Miley, the Jonathan Kreisberg Trio played to an audience of jazz enthusiasts Saturday night beginning at 8 p.m..

The Trio, consisting of Kreisberg on guitar, Johannes Weidenmuller (bass), and Mark Ferber (drums), opened the evening with the VT Jazz Ensemble in playing “Blue’s in Frankie’s Flat,” which also featured the vocals of Chelsea Crane, a music student at Tech. Three other numbers featuring the full band ensued. VT music faculty member John Adler led the ensemble while Miley and Michigan-based composer Matt Moresi contributed arrangements.

A brief intermission followed and then the Trio resumed the performance taking listeners through traditional songs such as “Summertime” to experimental numbers that were Kreisberg originals.

The show lasted until nearly 10 p.m., then Kreisberg, Weidenmuller, and Ferber stuck around to sign autographs and chat with fans.

Kreisberg said that this was his first trip to Southwest Virginia and that he and the band were enjoying the trip. He also said that this was their first time to play with a college jazz ensemble as well. “We really enjoyed it,” Kreisberg said. “It was great to hear my songs in this sort of arrangement and it was great to play with these students.”

Kreisberg was impressed that many of the band’s members were not music majors and spent considerable time chatting with the Tech students.

Kreisberg, very personable and clearly passionate about his art, said that he thinks that this country is ready for something new in music and believes jazz could be one of the answers. After a few dates on the East Coast, Kreisberg will spend much of March performing in Italy.