Jazz Review : Robert Cray, Etta James Stir Festival-Goers

It was Blue Sunday at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa for the Pacific Jazz Festival’s second day, as blues performers Robert Cray and Etta James each lifted the small crowd to its feet. Happily, the sonic problems of the first day were largely resolved, though there was volume to spare when it was needed.

James accompanied her hot-and-nasty vocals with suggestive moves around the piano and wild-eyed, dramatic pauses. Backed by an eight-piece band that tracked her every step and provided punctuation for the singer’s strong ways, James roamed the stage with abandon--taunting, crying and raising her voice in anger. Midway through her set, she broke the onslaught of rock-steady numbers with a medley of ballads that showed a steamy, sensitive side of her hard and gritty style.

Cray, easily the most popular of the performers to appear, worked through his familiar repertoire of abused-man blues with smooth finesse and a minimum of vocal emotion. But he took a muscular approach on guitar, popping strings on almost every number. The Memphis Horns (Wayne J1633905523Even Care.” A long instrumental close to “Playing in the Dirt” had Cray strumming almost-tender chords before chugging back into the riff.

Though the crowd thinned considerably after Cray left the stage, enthusiasm remained high as Mongo Santamaria blew through a short, intense closing set that spurred wild dancing among those that remained. Santamaria’s rippling conga beat and percussionist Nengue Hernandez’s clever use of the chequere (a giant gourd wrapped with rattling beads) led into the leader’s own “Afro-Blue,” which featured Mitch Frohman’s Coltrane-inspired tenor shrieks. A wildly involved “Sosa Me Nice” had the faithful screaming for more as the houselights came up.

Earlier in the day, drummer Louis Bellson’s big band was impressive on Ellington’s “Intimacy of the Blues,” which featured Bob Cooper’s tenor and Frank Strazzeri at the piano. Bellson glided easily behind his band until his snare and cymbal blitz solo on “Caravan.”

Leading off Sunday’s lineup, the duo of saxophonist Bennie Wallace and bassist John Patitucci provided some of the festival’s most musical moments during a series of standards and a jumpy Wallace original entitled “It Has Happened to Me.” The two kept each other busy with solid support from Patitucci while Wallace entertained a host of ideas, some of them a bit risque.

Pianist Billy Mitchell and his group, featuring tenor saxophonist John Bolivar, worked the crowd up with their infectious mix of rock and Latin rhythms. Vocalist Brenda Lee Eager showed plenty of pipes, fitting well with the group’s good-time approach to music.

Free Flight’s new bassist Reggie Hamilton showed some Marcus Miller stylings as well as some tricks of his own while supporting Jim Walker’s flute and piccolo excursions. The group’s classical influences (Walker was once principal flutist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic) were highlighted on a rendition of Mozart’s Piano Sonata in C that featured strong, quick rhythms from drummer Joel Taylor and keyboardist Mike Garson’s blend of synth and acoustic talents.

Known for composing “pretty” tunes, keyboardist David Benoit pulled a few surprises on a bop-influenced original entitled “Cabin Fever.” His solo swirled up and down the scales, occasionally interrupted by exciting chordal pounds. Saxophonist Eric Marienthal showed some of Cannonball Adderley’s speed and soul on the number and provided what excitement he could to the rest of what was no more than a pleasant set.