Pop and Jazz Reviews : Kirkland Makes His Case at Catalina’s

A capacity crowd was on hand at Catalina’s to greet the quartet of Kenny Kirkland as the pianist--formerly with Wynton Marsalis--offered powerful evidence of his potential as a leader.

Kirkland’s four years with Marsalis, and his subsequent experiences with Sting and others, have broadened his scope, which now encompasses elements of sophistication, along with touches of rock and other idioms that transcend his bop origins.

During one piece, presumably an original, he began unaccompanied in a romantic mood that mixed impressionism with incisive, rocking statements as the bassist Charnett Moffett moved in along with the drummer, Don Alias. The latter was a surprise entry, since he normally plays only percussion. But on this occasion (subbing on Wednesday for the group’s regular drummer Jeff Tain Watts) he doubled on regular drums. Nevertheless, it was during two conga solos preceding and following a wild version of Monk’s “Criss Cross” that Alias came close to stopping the show.

Completing the group was Kenny Garrett, playing alto and soprano saxophones. Best known for his stint with Miles Davis, Garrett made a distinctive and intensely passionate foil for Kirkland, ending on a note of triumphant hysteria as the set climaxed with Ornette Coleman’s “When Will the Blues Leave?”

It was during this number that Moffett, who was working with Marsalis when he was only 16, played his only solo. Listening to Moffett, now 24, you could hear how some players have learned to use the upright bass more imaginatively in the past decade.

The group ended its five-day engagement Sunday.