Easy Rapport Spurs 2 Giants to a High

First meetings between jazz giants don’t always produce sparks, but saxophonist Benny Golson and pianist Kenny Barron sounded like long-lost brothers by the end of their first-ever live set together.

Golson, the prodigious composer and silky smooth tenor man, and Barron, who has a delicate touch completely his own, opened a two-week run at Elario’s in La Jolla on Wednesday night.

The atmosphere in the room was upbeat. Several friends of the musicians were on hand for opening night, including saxman James Moody. Golson and Barron conversed casually with their local bandmates: bassist Bob Magnusson, who has worked with Golson before, and drummer Jim Plank.

On stage, this easy rapport carried into the music.

Leaning on Golson’s well-known originals, mixed with standards and a few of Barron’s tunes, the leaders put on a display of dynamic virtuosity.

Golson’s “Along Came Betty” included ample room for Golson’s flights of imagination. Sometimes, he played close to the melody, building tension through slow ascents, releasing it with a quick trip down the scales. AT other times, he strayed farther from home, into honking, squealing Coltrane territory.

The quartet quickly hit its stride, the rhythm section of Magnusson, Plank and Barron swinging easily together.

Golson sat out the first two numbers of the second set, which opened with a slow blues showcasing Barron’s delicately crafted piano improvisations. There is no filler, and he’s a master at developing complete musical thoughts, instead of the fragments that tumble from lesser musicians.

Like Golson, Barron improvises both close to the melody and miles away. On this second set opener, the humor in his work called to mind the brainy playing of pianist Thelonious Monk, the way improvised phrases suddenly ended in unexpected ways, one or two notes given a subtle tweak into the realm of the abstract.

The pace picked up with “Voyage,” Barron’s own tune, on which he displayed a relentless, McCoy Tyner-like attack. Plank drove the tune with his crisp cymbal work and subtle, crescendoing rolls.

Despite the echoes of his musical forefathers, Barron makes each tune his own. Golson says the pianist’s playing “coruscates”-- or gives off sparkles of light. It’s easy to see why. Barron coaxes a bright, optimistic sound from the piano, never letting even the fastest phrases become muddy.

Golson joined the trio for his own “I Remember Clifford,” his soft, breathy sax calling out like a whisper. Plank’s sensitive brush work pushed the song gently along as Golson displayed the big, warm sound that has become his trademark.

The saxophonist next showed his emotional and technical range on the standard “Sweet and Lovely,” working the low, middle and upper registers with equal finesse. Barron’s solo was a highlight. At one point, he let his hands switch roles: the left improvised a melody line while the right kept time, twittering softly on the high notes.

If opening night was a winner, expect more refinements in the nights ahead. The band was unrehearsed, but planned to practice Thursday afternoon. Several more of Barron and Golson’s originals will be added.

Steve Satkowski, who books the bands for Elario’s, gets credit for suggesting that Barron and Golson work together. He couldn’t have come up with a better way to start a new year of jazz in San Diego.

Beginning today, the San Diego edition of The Times will review all headliners at Elario’s.