What a wonderful, inspired idea, and how beautifully it was carried out.

For Rickie Lee Jones's weekend shows, the Fillmore Auditorium was converted into a large cabaret with dozens of candlelit round tables, white tablecloths and all, set symmetrically on the old hall's main floor.

Looking out over this festive sight, with the glass baubles on the Fillmore's huge chandeliers casting elegant illumination from high above, one was reminded of a moonlit pond nearly covered with white lily pads.

The stage was set for Jones with a shiny grand piano on one side, an overstuffed chair (with floor lamp) on the other. She sang from both as well as from the center stage mike, and presented much the best song recital I've heard her do.

In the mid-1970's, Jones performed as a swinging poetess, a post-hippie rapper. And she still has difficulty in putting her lyrics (or poetry) into a consistent melodic structure. Strange, since here is a good singing voice with remarkable range and sure pitch.

At the Fillmore, Jones accompanied herself on guitar - which she plays well - on most selections, playing the piano on the rest. She wore a lovely dress (hardly hippie wear) moved about the stage, enjoying herself and the setting - guitar in hand, hair flying.

There was a certain chronology in her song selection - "Chuck E's in Love," her first and biggest hit, from 1979, came early, as did "Coolsville" and a couple of others from that first album and its successor, "Pirates." Toward the end of the long set she did David Bowie's "Rebel Rebel," from her 1994 CD, "Traffic From Paradise."

Jones plays good jazzy piano but Friday's concert didn't get into any of her jazz or old pop vocal stuff she has recorded. Sometimes I hear a touch of bebop singer Betty Carter's style in her, and there are still suggestions of Laura Nyro's stylings in Jones' work.

She has retained a free spirit in both her writing and performance although without any discernable melodic line to carry me along, I frequently find myself lost in the labyrinth of her blank verse lyrics. Most in the sellout crowd on Friday seemed to know most songs, and even some of Jones' new material drew enthusiastic response.

As surprising and pleasing as the Fillmore's elegant cabaret setting was the appearance of solo eight-string guitarist Charlie Hunter as Jones's opening act. Hunter's witty remarks were razor sharp and his playing of "Tennessee Waltz," "A Flower is A Lovesome Thing," and a couple of more left the crowd in awe. Hunter gets more sound - and more exotic sounds out of his guitar than many a jazz quartet can accomplish.

Hunter didn't join Jones, but it would be fun to hear these two free souls together.