Ian Anderson and his talented band mates shared the joy they draw from two very special albums with a happy crowd Tuesday night at the Landmark Theatre.

The first was an obvious choice. Jethro Tull's new disc, "J-Tull Dot Com," just hit the stores last week.

Jethro Tull

**** (out of four)

It's his first studio disc in four years; it marks his 31st year in the music business; and, including greatest hits, boxed sets and special editions, it's the band's 46th release.

Certainly those are reasons to celebrate. And once the crowd heard the spirited new Tull tunes - "Spiral," "Wicked Windows," "Dot Com" and "Hunt by Numbers" - they knew it was going to be a great night.

All these years, no other band has even tried to duplicate Anderson's heady musical mix, with his flute and Martin Barre's bold guitar either dancing sweetly together or joining to make a melodic din.

On this night, Anderson's singing voice was far more comfortable than it was his last several trips through Syracuse. He sang with power and confidence, and there was no nasal whine to be found.

Anderson had the best description for it when he introduced his classic song "Bouree," the melody written by Johann Sebastian Bach 300 years ago and adapted by Anderson to fit his lovely flute-and-more format.

"That's jazz-classical-fusion," Anderson said. "Or jazz-classical-confusion."

Not so. It was all very clear-headed.

So was Anderson's decision to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of his classic album "Stand Up."

Telling a story about meeting Joe Cocker in a Manhattan cafe a little after "Stand Up" came out, Anderson sounded as if he felt it was just yesterday.

"Joe Cocker says, 'Congratulations!' to Martin and I," Anderson said. "I said, 'What for?' He said, 'Your record just reached No. 1 on the English charts.' Joe Cocker bought us breakfast that day."

Besides the stately "Bouree," Anderson, Barre and their other three band mates - Andrew Giddings on keyboards, Jonathan Noyce on bass and Doane Perry on drums - lovingly handled "For a Thousand Mothers," "Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square," "Nothing Is Easy" and "Fat Man" from that breakthrough album.

And that wasn't the only old one they delivered.

Anderson shared the song that he learned to play flute to, "Serenade to a Cuckoo," written by American blues artist Roland Kirk. "We dedicate this to Roland Kirk," Anderson said. "Because he's dead. And I'm not. Yet."

No, Anderson was lively with his trademark, one-leg-up-like-a-pelican flute stance and low-to-the-ground stage prowl.

For those who wanted the hits, he saved a tasty three for the end: "Locomotive Breath" to close the set, then "Aqualung" and "Living in the Past" for the encore.

Opener Vyktoria Pratt Keating had to tell the crowd that "the voice of Ian Anderson" wasn't entirely correct when the star-on-tape introduced her as the singer-guitar player from Sedona, Ariz.

Sure, she now lives there and loves it. "But I grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia," she said. "So I'm a hick."

But that didn't seem to be true, either.

Keating was funny and free-speaking and a very good guitar player.

Death is one of her favorite subjects, she explained, so she sang her tune "Yer Dead."

"Rainbow Black," from her newest and third disc, was "an upbeat song about an oil spill," she said.

All of her songs sparkled with fast and crisp guitar work. You could call the style hard folk.

On her finger-picking guitar, the price tag still dangled from the neck. She bought it three days ago. Advice: Don't bring it back. It sounds great.

Keating's high, searching singing voice seemed to be an acquired taste. Some fans were enamored; others were less flattering with their remarks.

Keating was just glad to be known at all.

"The last time I played in Syracuse, it was down the block at Happy Endings (Cake and Coffeehouse)," she said. "I went in there today, and somebody remembered me. I got a free cup of coffee. And cookie. That's what makes it special."