Vets Make Case for Creativity

How many jazz groups does it take to light up the stage at a jazz concert? Only two, so long as they are as good as the Michael Brecker Quintet and the Bobby Hutcherson-Cedar Walton Quartet were on Sunday night in the second installment of the Playboy Jazz Festival series at the Alex Theatre in Glendale.

Opening the performance with a program of standards and originals, aided immensely by the presence of bassist Ralph Dumas and drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath, the Hutcherson-Walton team made a convincing case for the creative potential that still resides in the mainstream modern jazz approach. And they did so with the confident assurance of experienced veterans, although neither Walton’s piano playing nor Hutcherson’s vibes work has ever received quite the attention that their world-class skills would seem to merit.

Walton seemed literally incapable of playing a false note--either specifically or stylistically. A superb accompanist, he backed Hutcherson in understated, but immensely supportive fashion. Then, in his solo passages--in tunes such as “Old Devil Moon” and “Never Let Me Go”--he stepped out with persistently swinging melodies, briskly articulated with the elegant phrasing that is the hallmark of his style.

Hutcherson, who has consistently made persuasive use of his sometimes tinkly-sounding instrument, not only contributed crisp, thoughtful soloing, he also brought a warmly communicative manner to his presentation, joking and interacting with an enthusiastically responsive audience.

Brecker, one of the principal contemporary jazz instrumentalists of the past two decades, may be the most imitated tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane. The rap on his playing, however, has been its occasionally chilly character and its frequent emphasis upon virtuosity, upon engaging the instrument rather than the music.

And there were times in his set--much of which was based on as yet untitled material from an upcoming album--when rapidity seemed to be the focus of his soloing. A formidable improviser with a prodigious ability to crank out finger-busting streams of notes, Brecker sometimes seemed to be running at high speed through every technique-improving exercise he ever encountered.

When he slowed down, however, most noticeably in a gorgeous encore rendering of “Skylark” accompanied by pianist Joey Calderazzo, Brecker revealed the full breadth of his creativity. Allowing room for his melodies to breathe, opening up the emotion and the warmth in his sound, he was nonpareil, a jazz improviser at the height of his considerable powers.

Brecker was ably accompanied by Calderazzo’s lush, rhythmic chording, Jeff “Tain” Watts’ power drumming and James Genus’ dependable bass playing. Multi-skilled Don Alias added colorful percussion fills, as well as a gripping solo number in which he single-handedly generated the sounds of a full drum ensemble.