Instead of the stark rhymes and basic funk of old-school rap, some hip-hop embraces melody, digressions and introspection.

(Chinen) DAVID BINNEY (Tuesday and Wednesday) This alto saxophonist pursues an avant-gardism that embraces harmony, melody and rhythm, along with amplification.

(Chinen) DAVID BINNEY'S BALANCE (Tuesday) The alto saxophonist David Binney pursues an avant-gardism that embraces harmony, melody and rhythm, along with amplification.

They released a 7" record "Nexus/Apex", which embraced drone, repetition and melody.

They are in some ways very much alike: Aaron Jay Kernis, 36, and Richard Danielpour, 40, both write colorfully orchestrated music that embraces melody and tonality but also draws on the complexities of contemporary musical language.

Embracing melody and dissonance, volubility and concision, they produced an elevated art of fluctuations.

(Chinen) DAVID BINNEY (Through Sunday, and Tuesday) Mr. Binney, an alto saxophonist, pursues an avant-gardism that embraces harmony, melody and rhythm, along with amplification.

Still no sign of reverse swing, though, and you might have better luck waiting for Godot, or for Radiohead to embrace melody again.

(Chinen) DAVE BINNEY'S BALANCE (Tuesday) The alto saxophonist Dave Binney heeds an avant-gardism that embraces harmony, melody and rhythm, along with amplification; he receives sinuous support from the keyboardist Craig Taborn, the bassist Thomas Morgan and the drummer Dan Weiss.