Strange Partners: Diamanda Galas, John Paul Jones A Powerful Combo

----------------------------------------------------------------- Concert preview

Diamanda Galas and John Paul Jones, 8 p.m. tomorrow, Moore Theatre; $17, 628-0888. -----------------------------------------------------------------

It was just this side of strange to turn on "The Jon Stewart Show" a couple of weeks ago and see Diamanda Galas - in all her stark, staring darkness - being backed up on bass by former Led Zeppelin-er John Paul Jones.

It was very strange because just a few weeks before, the same Jones - in what appeared to be the same white shirt and black pants - had played live at the Backstage for five nights with Heart. Another look at the screen revealed that it was Denny Fongheiser, Heart's drummer, backing up Galas and Jones. What a weirdly connected world pop music can be.

It should come as no surprise that Jones might be involved in different projects, even as different as Galas'. He was a studio man - player, arranger and producer - when he first hooked up with Jimmy Page. He was behind much of the varied arrangements on Led Zeppelin's subsequent recordings. He did arrangements for the Rolling Stones on their psychedelic conceit, "Their Satanic Majesties Request." Most recently he produced those Heart sessions and worked with R.E.M.

Jones has said he was intrigued by Galas' earlier work and thought it would be a good change of pace. Certainly working with Galas - with her 3 1/2-octave voice, her siren-scatting and her penchant for the profane and forbidden - is a change. "The Sporting Life," the album Galas and Jones produced, is powerful, disturbing music.

Jones remains one of the most proficient bass players in popular music. He's always melodic without being busy, and always grounded. That kind of foundation allows Galas to go anywhere, with her range and her lyric content.

Galas' songs mix love and murder, not surprising in that earlier works delved into AIDS, heaven, hell and the blues, imbuing each with the same intensity and passion. She is, at the very least, disquieting. When she's on, she's totally staggering. Much of the concert will be from the new album, although it's expected Galas and Jones will contribute from some of their earlier works.