Craig Hartley is everything great about the Glorious and Infinite Possibilities of Jazz. As a pianist/composer/interpreter/bandleader, Hartley embraces and reveres the past even as he cartwheels into the future.

Consider his two bookend albums. In 2012, he released "Books on Tape, Vol. 1," which showcases a fluid and joyous collection of songs that demonstrate dexterity, wit, playfulness and a tender heart. His next recording, "Books on Tape, Vol. 2 — Standard Edition," twists the template. Hartley deconstructs canonical material — pieces by Miles Davis, Paul McCartney, Bach and Duke Ellington — in clever, reverential but also deliciously original fashion.

Hartley delivers some of the freshest and wonderful jazz on the contemporary scene. But make no mistake: this is a "band" in every sense of the word as bassist Carlo De Rosa and drummer Jeremy "Bean" Clemons contribute texture, energy and synchronistic flourishes throughout. See Hartley Friday in Old Lyme at the Side Door Jazz Club. (To see a review of "Books on Tape, Vol. 2 — Standard Edition," see page 7.) 

Craig Hartley, 8 p.m. Friday, Side Door Jazz Club, 85 Lyme St., Old Lyme; $36; (860) 434-1444, craighartley.me.