Any outdoor concert is a gamble weather-wise, but Jazz on Jay upped the ante Thursday by staging its season-opening show in a new venue, by a band playing all original music, i.e., NOT “Stardust” or “Cherokee.”

It all paid off: No rain, the new Jay Square venue opposite Schenectady City Hall welcomed a happy crowd and the Killdeer Trio took them on an interesting ride.

Killdeer Trio; from left, bassist Evan Jagels, drummer Sebastian Green, guitarist Wyatt Ambrose. Michael Hochanadel photo

Guitarist Wyatt Ambrose penned most of the 12 songs in their 90-minute set, but the trio’s improvisations stretched from their riff-tune basics into organic free-form playing. His opening statements supplied melodic frameworks in most cases, though bassist Evan Jagels sketched the structure of “Ten-Thirty” all by himself until Ambrose and drummer Sebastian Green roofed and walled everything into shape. They seemed loosest when wrapping up a tune, not wanting to let it go.

Wyatt Ambrose, left, and Sebastian Green. Michael Hochanadel photo

They hit right at noon with the jittery mid-tempo riff tune “Coming To,” upshifting into “Moving to Mars” before going airy and light, then faster and denser, in “Suncrest.” They approached each tune with constructive patience, ready to pounce on any good idea a bandmate created. But they were also unafraid to shift gears when they exhausted a riff’s possibilities.

“One for D and K” (heroes Dave Holland, bass; and Kevin Eubanks, guitar) used an episodic stop-and-go groove to pay homage to each. They played in tricky, asymmetrical beats as smoothly as more forthright rhythms.

Ambrose introduced his bandmates after “Quatrain,” adding at the end “And you’re the audience” to healthy laughs and the recognition that everybody had a part to play. While some fans tended to lunch or friend meet-ups, most listened, applauding solos whenever a player nailed it.

After “One,” Ambrose cited a line from “MadMen” to introduce “Ballad of Dissatisfaction,” but this proved satisfactory by transmuting a serene riff into a Latin episode then a jagged, drum-powered romp.

Sebastian Green. Michael Hochanadel photo

In “Another,” drums and bass laid down a funky pattern before Ambrose set up a two-chord vamp until the drums took over everything. The best drummers manage lots of energy and variety with small kits, as Green did with a small kick, snare, tom and floor tom, hi-hat and just one each, crash and ride cymbals.

Everybody went way treble in “Ten Thirty One.” Green coaxed high metallic sighs by edging a stick along the hi-hat edge as Jagels bowed high harmonics on his bass in a sparse and spacey funk ballad Ambrose completed, guiding everybody in mutating episodes.

Evan Jagels. Michael Hochanadel photo

“Soul Tune” earned its name, Ambrose echoing Curtis Mayfield chord licks before the whole thing soul-trained into spiky Mahavishnu Orchestra country.

Wyatt Ambrose. Michael Hochanadel photo

Ambrose most often evoked Wes Montgomery’s R&B/swing approach but adopted more modern tones and phrasing at times. All originals, his tunes often felt familiar because their logic rang so clear.

The trio’s cohesion felt all the more impressive in combining unity with freedom, as they listened and reacted in in calm, unruffled ease.

Lanea Brice. Michael Hochanadel photo

After the show, Proctors Collaborative Assistant Director of Programming and Jazz on Jay impresario Lanea Brice hailed band, audience and weather while her predecessor Betsy Sandberg came over to note a huge multi-siren traffic mess on State Street a block away was inaudible in Jay Square. In previous locations nearer State Street, such emergencies disrupted nearly every show. Not this one, the new place works.

As he filled me in on tune titles he hadn’t announced, Ambrose explained how Killdeer Trio formed while he was inspired by Questlove’s concert film “Summer of Soul.” It all made perfect sense: soul-inspired riffs re-shaped in free-jazz invention.

THE SONGS

Coming To

Moving to Mars

Suncrest

Quatrain

One for DK

Ballad of Dissatisfaction

Another

Happy Dogs

Underground

Ten Thirty One

Soul Tune

Anniversary

The Killdeer Trio plays June 21 at Mojo’s in Troy.

Jazz on Jay continues Thursday, June 13 with Cliff Brucker & New Circle.