The name Jeremy Steig popped up a couple of weeks ago, prompting one of those "Whatever happened to?" musings. Steig, who first surfaced as a leader on the 1963 Columbia album "Flute Fever," was a wild man in those days, his tone part flute, part vapor and part percussive vocal eruptions. Later in the decade, he formed Jeremy and the Satyrs, now remembered (by some, anyway) as the first jazz-rock band. In 1969, he recorded "What's New" with the Bill Evans Trio. Since the late '70s, his recorded output has been slim.

Now comes "Flute on the Edge" (Steig Music), a welcome reminder that Steig is still on the scene and remains an undiminished jazz expressionist. With guitarist Vic Juris, acoustic bassist Cameron Brown and drummer Anthony Pinciotti, he covers ballad standards ("You're My Thrill" and "You Don't Know What Love Is"), a Brazilian film tune identified with the emergence of the bossa nova ("Samba De Orfeo") and several originals. The originals include jazz-rock, a take-off on Thelonious Monk's writing style and a bit of world music exotica.

Steig is a busy soloist, and his tonal palette ranges from ravishing pure sounds to guitarlike overdriven grunge. There is never a hint of technical strain as he bubbles and twitters into the high register or bursts into his zippy, humming-and-playing mode. His vibrato creates atmosphere on all fronts -- the folklike "Moonscape," the bluesy "Felonious Funk," the jazz-rock "Mr. Go" and the ballads.

Juris proves a fine, leaner complement to Steig, whether it's acoustic cooking or electric rock guitar effects. (Buying information: www.jeremysteig.info.)

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