It would be presumptuous to guess at the reason why Jazz Fest completely ignored the Frenchmen Street/St. Claude Avenue improvised music scene, but the Jeff Albert Quartet’s Similar in the Opposite Way illustrates what a shame that is. Again, it would be pure speculation to wonder if the festival associates improvised music with skreek and skronk caterwauling and sonic balls of exorcism, but Albert’s album is firmly rooted in jazz traditions including many belonging to the city. “9th Ward Trotsky” uses a tambourine to create a sideways take on Mardi Gras Indian rhythms, while “Bag Full of Poboys” is simply funky. And the pieces are clearly composed, though they were borne from group improvisations, and Dave Capello swings hard on “Folk Song.” “Morph My Cheese” is the most out track, as Ray Moore’s sax quivers through space without the guidance of time, but it’s the oddball in the pack. Far more commonly, Moore and Albert explore a melodic thought sympathetically or in counterpoint in startlingly succinct statements, with half of the tracks crossing the finish line in under four minutes. Despite the impact the Chicago improvised scene had on Albert, there are no marathons here and there’s nothing here that in any way stretches people’s notions of jazz. At Jazz Fest, his quartet would make perfect sense, but for now, you’ll have to buy this or see Jeff at the Blue Nile to find out why.