Jam band's guitarist is fine Phish out of water February 22, 2001 - Boston Herald (SCE; Pg. S4) by Dean Johnson Trey Anastasio at the Orpheum Theatre, Wednesday night. Phish frontman Trey Anastasio hasn't scaled back his work schedule even though his band officially went on hiatus last fall. The singer-guitarist has been writing new music and recently played with the Vermont Youth Orchestra. He also kicked off a sold-out 10-date solo tour, his second, Wednesday at the Orpheum. The tasty debut gig featured more than two hours of music and nearly two dozen songs, many of them new compositions. Anastasio brought along longtime friend Tony Markellis on bass, as well as Russ Lawton (drums), Dave "The Truth" Grippo (sax), Jennifer Hartswick (trumpet) and Andy Moroz (trombone). The group set the night's musical tone with the first song, the groove-driven, Latin-flavored instrumental "Mozambique." It was mostly about the big beat, and though the band's excursions carried it into reggae, funk, ska and even Chicago blues territory, the big bottom was almost always around. In addition to recent Phish favorites "First Tube," with its seething, psychedelic guitar break, and an acoustic "Back on the Train," there were cover songs, jazz-funk breaks and even some straightforward pop music. Some songs meandered more than necessary, but most kept a crisp edge. It was sheer bliss for Phish Heads, of course, but even the more casual fan found plenty to dig into. For starters, the goofiness index wasn't nearly as high as your average Phish gig. And there was a sense of anticipation and adventure that came with never knowing what the band would do next. Anastasio's soulful version of The Band's "It Makes No Difference" featured smart four-part harmonies and a dash of Van Morrison. Ever the reluctant guitar hero, when he did take off on extended breaks, there were some startling moments. His high-temp blues solo during the new "Don't Do It" was a scorched-earth wonder. He lit up covers of Billy Preston's "Will It Go 'Round in Circles" and the Five Stairsteps' "O-o-h Child" with more spicy playing. Even the pensive acoustic instrumental "Waves," another new number, demanded attention. The band found out midset that Phish's Grammy entry this year, "First Tube," lost out to Metallica for Best Rock Instrumental. Nobody seemed to care, especially Anastasio.