JAZZVISIONS GOES FOR THE GUITAR

You could call it a guitar summit--or maybe an organized jam session. You could even call it--as the producers did--a concert with “All Strings Attached.”

But the real name for what happened at the Wiltern Theater Wednesday night in the second of Jack Lewis’ Jazzvisions programs, was Love of Jazz--pure and simple.

The production, which fortunately has been preserved for videotape and compact disc release, was designed to keep the proceedings as uncluttered as possible: take five world-class guitarists, whose ages and styles span several generations of music, give them a sturdy back-up team of bass and drums (John Patitucci and Billy Hart), and let them play.

The result was a near-perfect session, in which the veteran picker Tal Farlow was the keystone of a musical arch that reached out to include Larry Coryell, John Abercrombie, Larry Carlton and John Scofield.

Working as an ensemble, the group played loosely swinging versions of Tadd Dameron’s “Our Delight,” Miles Davis’ “All Blues” and such standards as “Autumn Leaves” and “Love Nest.” Contrasting with the full group pieces were various duets and trios--Farlow and Scofield on “Meditation,” Abercrombie and Farlow on “My Romance,” Coryell and Farlow on a blues titled “First Things First.”

The common element was the Lincolnesque Farlow, who obviously enjoyed every minute, watching the younger players like a lean, bespectacled professor at a reunion of his prize students, beaming with pride at how beautifully they’ve learned to fly on their own.

And, just to keep things in perspective, Farlow offered a few soaring moments of his own--especially in the a cappella opening statements of “My Romance” and “Autumn Leaves.”

But the competitive level was high, with Coryell playing brilliant pyrotechnics, especially on the blues numbers, Abercrombie shifting and turning the meter around, constantly surprising; Scofield cool and direct; and Carlton, ever the crowd-pleaser, adding a peppery touch of seasoning.

It was an evening to remember; an evening in which the old jazz virtues of friendly challenge, loving support and spontaneous interaction were in full flower. Don’t miss the video.