JAZZ REVIEW : Ponty Overcomes Violin’s Limits--but Not Those of His Repertoire

The violin seems an unlikely instrument to front a fusion band. The amplification required to put it on equal sonic footing with electric guitars, keyboards and tightly miked drum kits causes a loss of the instrument’s characteristic woody timbres and dynamic range. In short, wiring a violin cuts into its expressive capabilities.

Electric violinist Jean-Luc Ponty largely overcame these challenges Friday, playing a bright-blue instrument in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Celebrity Theatre of Anaheim. In a program that matched originals dating back into the ‘70s with a fair sampling of material from his recently released “Storytelling,” Ponty painted cool landscapes with deft phrasing, gliding portamento effects and the occasional electronic gimmickry while his supporting quartet cruised behind.

But that does not mean the evening was without problems. No matter which Ponty period it came from, the music showed little diversity over the course of this long performance. As the tales unfolded one after another, it became apparent that the emphasis was on setting rather than plot. Too many of the numbers washed back and forth between chords, recalling such moody seascapes as Debussy’s “La Mer” and Rachmaninoff’s “Isle of the Dead.”

Others featured Ponty scaling his way over predictable riffs to high-pitched vistas where, like the bear who went over the mountain, he discovered nothing more than the other side.

The performance’s effect was much like that from a drive across the prairie states. Initially, one is impressed with the distance to the horizon and the vast blue sky. But then a certain boredom sets in as the unchanging scenery stretches on and on.

This does not mean that Ponty has embraced the mellow moods and blind optimism of the New Age. Though the chord changes in his music may be as infrequent, the general mood was more involved, with frenzied string solos sailing over minor-key riffs. This was music with a big beat, thanks to drummer Rayford Griffin, with Ponty’s own lyrical ways as the romantic focus of interest.

The most interesting compositions heard on this evening were the most recent. “In the Fast Lane” used electronic gloss and hard-driving timekeeping from Griffin to provide Ponty with a chance to show speed as well as sensitivity. “After the Storm,” with Ponty taking a turn on keyboards, featured a furious introduction before guitarist Jamie Glaser’s screaming solo.

The band, whose members can all be heard on “Storytelling,” was generally competent, if not as tight as heard on the recording. Bassist Baron Browne showed plenty of muscle, but lacked crispness. Glaser adeptly provided rhythmic chordal backing while his sound carried a head-shaking metallic glint. Wally Minko’s keyboard support was on the money, and his solos showed a lot of harmonic smarts. But, ironically, his acoustic excursions lost a lot of impact because of poor reproduction, the piano sounding tinny and distant during a moving duet between himself and Ponty entitled “Eulogy for Oscar Romero.”

For his part, Ponty constructed beautifully melodic solos without becoming indulgent. It is obvious that he has the skills to convey high drama on the violin, even if the volume levels required for this type of music cut into the instrument’s expressiveness. With more varied material, Ponty could be leading one of the better electric jazz bands around.