Jazz Reviews : Nothing Taxing About an Evening With Roach Quartet

About half way through Max Roach’s concert at CalArts’ Modular Theatre on Monday night, he suddenly turned to the microphone and made the astonishing announcement that he’d spent most of the previous piece thinking about his income tax. And, given the penchant for programming performance pieces and avant-garde music at the venue, there probably was a kind of zany appropriateness to the drummer’s unexpected mixture of practicality and creativity.

One wonders, in fact, whether the relaxed and casual environs of the CalArts campus may have contributed to the effectiveness of the Roach Quartet’s playing, which was up a giant step from that of its appearance last year in the far less appealing smoke and din of the Palace.

Working with the rhythmic precision of a fine Swiss watch, Roach’s group has smoothly evolved into the perfect setting for the man who is, arguably, one of the finest jazz drummers of the post-World War II era. His credentials were immediately apparent in an opening improvisation in which Roach, alone on a spotlighted stage, demonstrated how a basic set of traps--with no electronics, and no showy, display percussion--can create both melody and rhythm while swinging in 9/4.

When the other musicians joined him, a long set of free improvisations ensued, followed by a solo feature for each player: “ ‘Round Midnight” for bassist Tyrone Brown; “In a Sentimental Mood” for trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater; an unannounced piece in 7/4 for tenor saxophonist Odeon Coats, and Roach’s classic high-hat cymbal tribute to Jo Jones.

Coats was marvelously quirky, honking low overtone harmonies and pouring out seemingly nonstop strings of notes via a circular blowing technique. And Bridgewater--elegant, precise, to the point--was the perfect foil for Coats’ high spirits.

Seated across the stage from Roach, bassist Brown was distanced in space, but not in spirit. His sturdy, melodic lines provided the foundation that allowed the horns and drums to soar freely.

But the heart and soul of the music was all Roach. Like Magic Johnson and Wayne Gretzky, he takes everyone’s game up a level. Even if he hasn’t done his income taxes yet.