Do you remember the Oberlin Music Café? The doomed coffeehouse, closed last year due to bankruptcy, was home to expensive sheet music, fantastic coffee, a relaxing, peaceful atmosphere and, in its brief heyday, live jazz music three or four nights a week.

With Oberlin Music’s unfortunate demise, the college and community lost a crucial puzzle piece in its scheme for downtown renewal — a much-needed non-institutional music venue as well as a sanctuary, a place of meditation and a space for respite from the stresses and hustle of Oberlin life.

Thankfully, as of this semester, coffee and melodies once again flow together in Oberlin! (In a place other than our reformed ballet studio of feline namesake, anyway.) MindFair Books, located inside Ben Franklin, has expanded into the space above the five-and-dime and, along with more books, now offers coffee and desserts and features live music on Fridays, twice monthly.

Last Friday, MindFair was filled with an eager and agreeable audience as well as the sounds of The Flough (pronounced “flow”), a select student jazz group including 5th year trombonist Alex Asher, 4th year saxophonist Noah Bernstein-Hanley, 4th year bassist Nate Brenner, 5th year drummer Rob Schwartz and 3rd year pianist Eben Lichtman.

The quintet played an adventurous, multidimensional set of standards and originals, highlighted by Bernstein-Hanley’s intellectual sound sheets, laced with pure creativity; Lichtman’s brilliant introspections; Asher’s savory rhythmic and melodic nuggets; and Schwartz and Brenner’s steady, subtle accompaniments.

In the coming weeks, expect more music and more coffee (they sometimes run out) from Oberlin’s budding indie bookstore/cafe. Although no group is scheduled tonight, more bands and even a potential Saturday night music spot are on the horizon. As for The Flough, check out their next performance — Noah Bernstein-Hanley and Nate Brenner’s joint Junior Recital — this coming Thursday, March 17, at 8 p.m. in the Cat and the Cream.