Jazz : Clatworthy Overcomes at Atlas

Benn Clatworthy, the Los Angeles-based tenor saxophonist from London who has been earning good airplay with his recent album, led his quartet Saturday at the Atlas Bar & Grill on Wilshire Boulevard.

Although Clatworthy and pianist Cecilia Coleman are capable composers, the presence of substitute bass player Ralph Alessi confined them to standard tunes. This did not prevent the leader from exhibiting a soaring, Rollins-inspired style and sound on “Falling in Love With Love” and a lyrical ballad mood on “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye.”

With her crisp accompaniment and fleetly ebullient solo work, Coleman is an admirable partner. Alessi proved himself a more than able soloist while Kendall Kay, the drummer from South Africa, showed discretion, working mainly with brushes.

If the limitations of repertoire were a handicap, this was a piece of cake compared to the working conditions. The artists were confined to 20-minute sets; Clatworthy was forbidden to speak, even to introduce the tunes or his musicians. Between sets the customers, most of whom were clearly there to talk or eat rather than listen (there was almost no applause, even at the end of the tunes), seemed content to be offered 40 minutes of schlock music piped over the P.A. system.

Nevertheless, Clatworthy’s quartet overcame, at least for those few who paid attention. It cannot be too long before he graduates to regular work at places where his impassioned, energetic sound can be more fully appreciated.