Rare Opportunity to Hear Avant-Garde Jazz in S.D.

Cutting edge jazz is hard to come by in San Diego. In recent months, about the only avant-garde jazz available has been presented by the RUSE Performance Gallery, a small artists’ collaborative with a storefront in the Gaslamp Quarter.

As the highlight of its RUSE Fest ‘90, the group is presenting the San Francisco-based Rova Saxophone Quartet this Friday night in RUSE’s space at 447 5th Ave.

The ensemble makes wild free jazz that may sound like chaos to the uninitiated, with roots in Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton and other free jazz pioneers. But there’s also a classical side to what they do: The group names additional influences from Schubert to Varese and John Cage.

Actually, the music is quite well planned. It’s just that the structures are different than those used in, say, traditional bebop.

Instead of stating a theme, swapping solos, and re-uniting to close a number with a signature melody, Rova moves through a series of musical ideas with little repetition. So taken are the musicians with spontaneity that they have recently experimented with improvisational games. At any time, a musician can pick up a painted fan or flag, which “signifies a different game and strategy,” and the music shifts accordingly, said band member Jon Raskin.

The lack of reference points may feel jarring to some listeners, but the resulting music is fiery, colorful and extremely inventive.

Rova includes Raskin on alto and baritone, Steve Adams on alto and sopranino, Bruce Ackley on soprano and tenor and Larry Ochs on sopranino and tenor.

The 8 and 10 p.m. shows will include a composition written for the band by avant-garde jazz man Henry Threadgill.

It’s hard to picture some of the greats of jazz as military men, but since 1950, the Air Force Airmen of Note, a 17-piece big band, has been regarded as one of the top big bands in the country.

Most of its members have made a career playing with the group. Guitarist Rick Whitehead is the senior member, with 21 years in the ensemble. Master Sgt. Peter BarenBregge, the group’s leader and first saxophonist, has 11 years under his belt.

Among the jazz greats who have come up through the band are “Tonight Show” alto man Tommy Newsome and trombonist and legendary big band arranger Sammy Nestico, both of whom will join the Airmen for their 40th anniversary celebration in September at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

Several of the group’s seven albums have received favorable reviews in Downbeat and other jazz journals.

Next Tuesday night at 8 in Brown Chapel at Point Loma Nazarene College, the group will play a range of big band charts, from traditional to contemporary, BarenBregge said.

The show might include some Glenn Miller Band music--the original Airmen portrayed Miller’s band in the “Glenn Miller Story,” starring Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson. The ensemble will also tackle a new arrangement of the Cole Porter tune “Begin the Beguine,” made famous by band leader Artie Shaw. The Airmen use an electronic wind instrument to bring the number into the ‘90s.

In a one-night experiment next Monday at the Salmon House restaurant on Mission Bay, San Diego saxman Gary Lefebvre and his big band will see whether there’s support for regular big band music.

“It’s do or die,” said Lefebvre. “If we do well, we might be invited back.”

Focusing on the arrangements of Bill Holman, Lefebvre’s 16-piece ensemble includes such top San Diego jazz players as saxophonists Paul Sundfor, Frank LaMarca and Benny Hollman.

The show will lean heavily on selections from arranger Holman’s 1959 big band album, “In a Jazz Orbit,” which has been re-released on CD.

After Steve Satkowski met to negotiate with his boss, Summer House Inn owner Martin Mosier, last Wednesday, he thought his job as entertainment director at Elario’s was secure. But Friday, Mosier told Satkowski he’d decided to make a change to cut costs, and, by Saturday, San Diego Jazz Festival founder Rob Hagey had replaced Satkowski as entertainment director. Hagey was on hand Saturday to introduce fluegelhorn man Art Farmer.

Satkowski said he may try his hand producing mainstream jazz concerts, possibly in downtown San Diego.

“There are some artists I could not lure to Elario’s because of its small scale,” Satkowski said. “They told me that, when I could meet their requirements, they’d be happy to come play San Diego.”

Hagey said he wants to expand the already impressive 1990 plans put in place by Satkowski, including appearances by Charlie Haden, Ernie Watts, Freddie Hubbard, David (Fathead) Newman, James Moody, Anita O’Day and Joe Pass.

“Groups that play Catalina’s or the Vine Street Bar & Grill in Los Angeles could do Monday and Tuesdays here,” he said. Hagey’s first move was to add local saxman Daniel Jackson to the band backing Farmer, who appears nightly through Sunday.

Bob O’Connor, vice president of programming at KiFM, said the change won’t have much effect on its Sunday night “Straight Ahead” jazz program, sponsored by Elario’s. Satkowski may continue his role as producer.

RIFFS: Light jazz saxophonist Sam Riney plays the Catamaran’s “Jazz Trax” series next Wednesday night. Riney, whose roots are in R&B; and blues, has played with musicians ranging from Curtis Mayfield to Ray Charles and The Four Tops. His newest album, “At Last,” features a guest appearance by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. . . . San Diego bassist Bob Magnusson is writing music for an album he hopes to record featuring local sax man Daniel Jackson.