Kirsten Edkins and her quintet opened the 14th season of the Harker concert series at the Patil Theater on Sept. 5, playing a set of songs penned mostly by the Los Angeles-based saxophonist. Opening number “The Goose,” a track from her 2023 album, “Shapes & Sound,” featured Edkins trading lines with pianist Sam Hirsh before she settled smoothly into her first solo of the evening, emphasizing her keen sense of melody before making way for superb trombonist Lemar Guillary. The decidedly funkier “Mean Greens” found Edkins and Guillary harmonizing effortlessly, with drummer Chris Wabich’s explosive drum solo becoming an evening highlight. The instrumental ballad “Dedicated to You,” inspired by singer Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane, began with Sam Hirsch floating through an extended solo as Edkins drifted in almost unnoticed, before Sezin Ahmet added a lyrical solo as a centerpiece. For the final number, Edkins invited trumpeter and longtime friend Dr. David Hart, upper school music teacher, to join in on the Edkins-composed “Sweet Pickles,” a breezy number with stellar harmonizing between all three lead players.

In addition to the concert, Edkins and her quintet also gave masterclasses throughout the week leading up to the concert, meeting with music students at the middle and upper schools and offering their professional insights on performing as well as developing their knowledge and technique.