JAZZ REVIEW : An Intense Set From Sam Riney

Give saxophonist Sam Riney credit for one thing: total intensity. His recent performance at Bon Appetit in Westwood virtually sizzled with high voltage. Riney didn’t just play a song--he grabbed it, shook it and squeezed the juice out of it.

The result was a series of improvisations performed at their emotional maximum. Like Chaka Khan, whom Riney credits as an influence on his phrasing, the saxophonist worked only with broad splashes of primary colors.

Unfortunately, even the brightest palette can lose its appeal if the hues lack range and variation. Riney--a veteran of the Los Angeles recording studios and club stages--clearly seemed to have something to say. On pieces like “Cool Down,” “Pacific Coast Highway” and (especially) “Goodbye,” suggestions of rich emotional currents occasionally slipped into his solos.

But more often, the impact of his message was obscured on Saturday night by the singular intensity of his style. It’s hard to hear the inner feelings of someone who does nothing but shout.