Music Review : ROVA Quartet Capable on Sax

The cutting-edge group known as the ROVA Saxophone Quartet (its acronym uses the initials of the founding members) was in town Saturday for a concert at the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Santa Monica.

The 12-year-old unit resembles the World Saxophone Quartet only in the absence of a rhythm section. ROVA is well rehearsed, it plays in tune, and it aims at a pan-musical avant-garde experience.

In the course of the evening there was a continual interchange between unison and harmony, tonality and atonality, counterpoint and polyphony, rhythmic pulses and timelessness. It also deals with strict composition and total freedom, which could be easily distinguished in Steve Lacy’s brilliantly structured “Precipitation Suite,” but in Henry Threadgill’s “Background” the dividing line was hard to detect. ROVA tells you everything you wanted to know about the sax but were afraid to ask.

Original works within the group were composed by baritone saxophonist John Raskin, tenor sax soloist Larry Ochs (who doubled on soprano sax) and the newest member, altoist Steve Adams. Bruce Ackley on soprano sax contributed some of the most emotionally moving solos.

At times energy tended to replace form, and intensity took precedence over content. At one point a table was brought on stage bearing gadgets: a toy trumpet, balls and flags, used as hand signals during a hysterical piece. This exercise in pretension tipped over the border between the sublime to the ridiculous; such gimmicks are unfunny and uncalled for.

A strange interlude had the men playing one staccato chord every five seconds. During the intervening silences a dog outside the hall barked in what seemed like perfect time. This was truly an outstanding example of aleatory music.