JAZZ REVIEW : Eubanks Quartet at Vine Street

The Vine St. Bar & Grill in Hollywood has such a splendid track record, bringing in some of the jazz world’s outstanding singers as well as an occasional high-caliber instrumental group, that a lapse from grace once in a while can be understood. The Wednesday night opening of Kevin Eubanks’ quartet was a case in point.

Music has always been said to consist of three primary elements: melody, harmony and rhythm. To these a fourth has been added in the last decade: energy. Eubanks, a guitarist who works the funky side of the street, has it in abundance, as do his sidemen.

With Edward Simon on acoustic and electric keyboards, Kenny Davis on electric and upright bass, and the explosive Gene Jackson on drums, Eubanks launched his set with a number that seemed to last forever (somebody clocked it at 25 minutes), with an endlessly repeated riff underlined (or undermined) by a slow crescendo on drums. Hypnotic or chaotic? Take your pick.

The second number found Jackson hitting a resounding DHWACK! on the third beat of every bar from here to eternity. Eubanks, as is his wont, displayed chops to spare; in fact, his technique sometimes tends to get the better of him.

Though it may seem unfair to make a comparative judgment, it is true that his current album, using various groupings from solo to trio to quintet, and with sometimes valuable vocal effects, makes the same material sound quite appealing at times. The closing tune, “Cookin’,” done at the club simply as a guitar and drums duet, seemed particularly barren.

Eubanks will continue to draw his fans (and they are numerous) through Saturday.