JAZZ REVIEW : Horn, Friends Offer Sounds for New Age

Paul Horn, whose music has been created in such exotic places as the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramids of Cheops, brought his unique jazz to the Vine St. Bar & Grill Wednesday evening.

A flutist and soprano saxophonist of extraordinary talent, Horn displayed his full range of musical interests and talents during a delightful opening set that showcased not only his own visions but those of bassist David Friesen, guitarist John Stowell and the leader’s son, drummer Robin Horn.

An established New Age musician long before the term was ever used, Horn opened with Charlie Parker’s “My Little Suede Shoes.” After a Latin-tinged introduction, Horn and company fell into a solid bebop groove that provided an apt setting for the leader’s saxophone and Stowell’s neatly synthesized guitar.

“Innocente,” a tune by Ralph Towner, was a more typical setting for Horn. After a free-style introduction during which Horn’s flute echoed hauntingly, the group fell into a rolling rhythmic pattern that allowed Friesen to work wonders with his electric stand-up bass.

Friesen’s multiple talents were given ample display during the opening set. While his “Paths Beyond Tracing” showed him a capable, expressive pianist and composer, it was his other compositions, “Underlying” and the closing “Festival Dance,” that made greater impressions. Each tune had a jazz soul and provided the bassist with great settings for his own brilliant soloing.

Horn showed himself an exceptional balladeer with the beautiful “Willow Weep for Me.” Typically eager to reinvent melodies, Horn, playing flute, stuck close to Ann Ronnel’s lamenting tune as guitarist Stowell had his best solo outing.

A free-form piece showed each member of the quartet as deft purveyors of a little-practiced style. The improvised moments fell into an enticing modal expression of George Gershwin’s “Summertime,” to which drummer Horn supplied a rollicking set of rhythmic patterns.

Horn and company will be at Vine St. through Saturday.