more memorable

Even before his unannounced guest appeared, Greg Brown had performed

a robust and charming concert Sunday night at the Temple of Music and

Art.

But then, for the final three numbers of a 2 1/2-hour show, the popular folk

singer-songwriter welcomed to the stage an old friend - Tucson guitarist

Rainer Ptacek.

A surprised audience of about 400 watched Rainer's first public

performance since being diagnosed in February with a brain tumor and

lymphoma.

Rainer looked healthy and strong, although a little shy, as he played his

National steel-bodied guitar, his slide coaxing from it the haunting, earthy

sting with which many Tucson music fans have become so familiar.

Accompanied by Rainer and in his inimitable, rumbling baritone, Brown

sang the title song from his latest album, ``Further In,'' an ode to exploring

life's mysteries; ``Poor Backslider,'' a tale of spiritual struggle that Rainer

also has recorded; and Mississippi Fred McDowell's immortal, redemptive

blues tune ``You Gotta Move.''

Transcending illness, Rainer proved himself to be an example of hope and

courage.

By sharing these moments with his friend and the audience, Brown

graciously allowed his concert to become the vehicle for a wonderful and

moving experience.

The rest of the concert included almost all of Brown's excellent new

record, from the eerie ``Small Dark Movie'' and the seductive ``Think

About You'' to the achingly bittersweet ``China,'' on which his agile

finger-picking recalled tunes from Bob Dylan's early acoustic-folk period.

Brown capably bridged folk, rock, jazz and blues on his original ``All By

Myself'' (enhanced by staccato scatting and rambling ad-libs). The same

breadth was heard in his chilling version of Robert Johnson's ``I Believe I'll

Dust My Broom'' and Mose Allison's witty embrace of the apocalypse,

``Ever Since the World Ended.''

After radiation and chemotherapy, Rainer's cancer is in remission, he said

during a brief interview yesterday.

He's happy and doing ``very well,'' and his only current medical care

consists of checkups via regular MRI and CAT scans.