JAZZ REVIEW : Superband Sum: Less Than Its Parts

It is easier to advertise a concert by an alleged “Jazz Explosion Superband” than to live up to this grandiose billing. Perhaps there was some skepticism: Friday at the Universal Amphitheater there were whole blocks of empty seats in the vast auditorium. Nevertheless, a fairly substantial crowd reacted noisily to the even noisier activities onstage.

Seldom has there been a more egregious instance ofmajor talents put to minor use. Most of the six men on the stage are reputable musicians with strong jazz links, yet the applause-milking schlock they produced collectively was far less than the sum of its parts.

Trumpeter Randy Brecker seemed more concerned with energy and electronic trickery than creative ideas.

Stanley Clarke, who began the evening on upright bass, then switched to electric, is a consummate musician, yet sound on both instruments was loud and ugly.

Allan Holdsworth, a much-acclaimed guitarist, also seemed eager to break a record for notes per second. The keyboard and synth expert Bernard Wright contributed a few solos that offered evidence of a thought process rather than a finger exercise.

Even Airto, the respected Brazilian percussionist, was disappointing.

Aside from the deaf-defying volume, a major problem was that of prolixity. By intermission the band had slogged its way through only three numbers.

It is a sad irony that there are those who view this music as representing progress, though in fact it marks a reactionary trend at a time when such men as Tom Harrell, Lester Bowie and Terence Blanchard have moved in a truly progressive direction.