JAZZ REVIEW : The Sum of These Two Parts Adds Up to Awesome

On their own, pianist Dave McKenna and sax man Scott Hamilton are formidable talents. Together, they make one of the jazz world’s most potent combinations.

Concord Records president Carl Jefferson had the inspiration to put them together for an album. They’ve done two together, and San Diegans can hear the duo live at Elario’s tonight through Sunday.

Last Saturday night found the pair in fine form, supported by San Diego drummer Jay Hearn. The trio format left plenty of room for McKenna and Hamilton to offer carefully crafted improvisations.

McKenna drove the music with his rhythmically precise left hand. Often, he alternated between Ragtime-era pairs of notes and more contemporary clusters of chords punched out in a relentless staccato.

But it was Hamilton who dominated the spotlight. Coaxing soft, breathy whispers from his horn, he conjured images of Stan Getz and Coleman Hawkins, as well as his personal favorites, Illinois Jacquet and Gene Ammons.

Hamilton’s sensuous style is especially well-suited to slow- and medium-tempo standards such as “My Foolish Heart” and “What Is This Thing Called Love.” These provided some of his best moments Saturday.

He can play lightning-fast, and he has plenty of range when he wants it, from braying lows to squealing highs. But Hamilton prefers the warm mid-range. Notes flow like honey, but they are also well defined. Each note has its own weight, instead of spilling over into those on either side.

When it comes to technique, Hamilton is a perfectionist. In one set, he tried three different reeds in his mouthpiece.

McKenna, too, is a master technician, though his sound is impossible to pigeonhole. Just when you think he’s simply the world’s most polished cocktail pianist, playing slow, sentimental happy hour music, he suddenly switches gears, and his right hand races up and down the keyboard with the relentlessness of McCoy Tyner.

He’s no keeper of the avant--garde flame, and the melody is usually within close range. But even though McKenna’s heart is clearly in the classic jazz of days gone by, he’s still capable of firing off combinations that let you know he’s listened to the Cecil Taylors of this world too.

The sound of this bass-less trio takes some getting used to. McKenna’s rock-steady left hand is the key to making the music swing. But during Saturday’s first set, his bass lines were tough to hear, and McKenna acknowledged during a break that he wanted his microphone turned up a notch or two.

Drummer Hearn provides the ideal fuel for McKenna and Hamilton’s smoldering fire. He’s not flashy, but he’s consistent.