New Age Music : Scott Cossu Concert: Promise Kept

Pianist Scott Cossu’s recovery from a life-threatening brain injury was a constant subtext during his concert at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro Saturday night. A benefit for the Southern California Head Injury Foundation, the performance was the result of a promise Cossu had made to the staff of the Daniel Freeman Hospital when he was recovering at the institution after being hit by a car in 1989.

Cossu was in high spirits, obviously delighted to be performing again, and frequently expressed his gratitude to the many staff members in the audience. “It really is great to be alive,” he said at one point.

Much of the program was drawn from his most recent Windham Hill album, “Switchback.” Accompanied by a four-piece back-up group, he moved easily through a collection of originals ranging from the blues-based “Deja Blues” and “Blues for Anthony” to more floating, New Agey works “A Child’s Eyes” and “Desert Lightning.”

Cossu seemed a bit hesitant in places, and interaction with the rhythm section often drifted in and out of phase. Perhaps wisely, he elected not to perform any of his early pieces based on complex world music rhythms.

Pianist-singer Barbara Higbee, long associated with the group Montreux, opened the concert with a collection of solo instrumental and vocal numbers. Effervescent and energetic, she romped all around the stage, playing acoustic piano, singing, moving to a synthesizer and grabbing a violin. Her new career as a solo singer/songwriter is still strongly dependent upon her expertise as an instrumentalist.

Most of Higbee’s lyrics dealt with various aspects of love. The best, “Signs of Life” and “Next Time We’ll Be Gettin’ It Right,” managed to achieve a convincing, and sometimes whimsical, point of view. Others were more uncertain--clear evidence of a songwriting and singing talent still in the early stages of its development.