On Saturday at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Carol Morsani Hall was filled to capacity, and the audience was ready for Jackson Browne's best hour and fifteen. But he had other plans.

Starting a little late to accommodate stragglers, he was armed with six guitars and his piano. In true JB form, without the aid of a teleprompter or roadies to help with guitar straps, he delved through every obscure treasure that never received air play.

And, of course, he wove in every favorite yelled out by those in the capacity crowd. When he played "Farther On" and "Looking Into You" as his second and third song, this writer was in awe that her favorite two songs - from a repertoire encompassing eleven albums, and spanning 28 years - were already ours. He never let up.

Browne was no worse for the wear. In '65, he was 17. He'll be 52 in October, and time has been very good to him, physically and artistically. His voice sounded incredibly strong, as he belted out each song with all his strength. And his looks have not changed a bit in thirty years. Not even a gray hair.

An hour and a half went by as if it were 20 minutes. Then he asked us if he could take a break. To sum it all up, JB was incredibly generous. He asked us to choose his song list, commenting on each request as if fans were speaking directly to him. He gave us three hours of his time, playing 30 minutes past the 2½ hours that had been scheduled for the concert. Does anybody expect to leave an 8 PM show at 11:30? This was a rare treat.

Wendy Barrett is a longtime WMNF volunteer. She lives in Tampa with her husband E.J. Barrett, another WMNF volunteer.