MUSIC REVIEW : Control, Delicacy Are What Sets Creach Apart

Papa John Creach moves a little slower these days. His slim frame seems fragile, and you wonder if he can possibly keep pace with the younger musicians on stage.

But, when the music starts, something magic happens. He shuffles across the stage to the music and winks at the women in the audience. Then he tucks his violin under his chin, and his left hand flutters up and down the strings, shaping a full, mellow sound Creach applies equally well to slow, gutsy blues numbers, sentimental favorites or racing be-bop tunes.

Creach, who plays Wednesday thru Sunday nights at Elario’s through May 6, is probably the world’s most polished violinist in rock, blues and jazz. Like baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan or the mature Pablo Picasso, Creach makes every move count. He knows just what to play and when, and where to leave the silences that drive the emotional contents home.

Backed by longtime sidemen Duane Smith on piano and Maurice Miller on drums and occasional vocals, along with San Diego bassist Bob Magnusson, Creach is running down a repertoire ranging from “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” to “Summertime” to “I’m Movin’,” which features his own seasoned singing voice.

Last Friday night, with bassist Marshall Hawkins spelling Magnusson, who was off celebrating his 17th wedding anniversary, Creach’s crew brewed up a tight sound, with Creach, Hawkins and Smith each contributing well-crafted solos.

Creach is amazingly versatile. On swinging, uptempo tunes, he takes the role of the great bop saxmen, turning out rapid strings of notes that soar over the rhythm section. But he changes his tack on slow mood pieces such as “Summertime,” where his long, slender fingers waver to coax out a lush, full vibrato.

Other times still, he grinds out funky blues lines that show he’s heard most of the great blues guitar men, then throws in screeching runs that remind you of nothing so much as the late saxophonist John Coltrane.

What sets Creach apart, identifies his personal approach, are the controlled vibrato and delicate descents down the scales, which add to the mood of a slow number like a soft mist falling.

Smith’s piano solos are marked by lush, full left-hand chords and a funky, twinkling right. Hawkins is one of the most soulful bass players around, consistently finding a groove with any musicians he joins at Elario’s. Like the late, great bassist Charles Mingus, he seems plugged into musical current, humming along with his solos in a low, breathy growl. Miller pushes the ensemble along with his understated swing.

Creach’s music is some of the most danceable to hit Elario’s in a long time. There’s no dance floor, though, so Creach is the only one dancing. But, when he puts his hands together, everyone joins in.