Jazz & Music : Some Happy Grooving at Fifth Long Beach Fest

The fifth annual Long Beach Jazz Festival was a great place to spend a Saturday night. With a cool breeze wafting across the bay, a convivial atmosphere and an almost nonstop lineup of music, it was the perfect antidote for a week of muggy weather.

Like most summer jazz outings, the event emphasized environment as much as--and occasionally more than--the music. Nearly every square foot of space in the green area outside the Convention Center was packed with blankets, folding chairs, coolers and tables. Some fans used hand carts to bring in their supplies.

For those less prepared, the festival once again featured a lineup of food stands selling everything from fried catfish and sweet-potato pie to Italian sausages and pizza.

As if in acknowledgment that noshing and listening go hand in hand, the music was strongly oriented toward happy grooving. George Howard’s energetic soprano saxophone was one of the high-voltage spotlights of Saturday afternoon’s program. A bit more melodic than he sometimes has been in the past, he led a group that balanced a powerful rhythmic surge with occasional moments of soaring lyricism.

The highlight of the day, however, was Wayne Henderson’s Next Crusade. Working side by side with former partner Wilton Felder, Henderson led a funk-driven, hard-swinging ensemble that called up instant memories of the Crusaders. Felder’s soloing on “Since I Fell for You,” and Henderson’s and pianist Rob Mullin’s work on “Scratch” demonstrated that it’s possible to swing, entertain, have fun and be creative at the same time.

Earl Klugh’s closing set showcased his warm, acoustic guitar work. Remarkably, he maintained the program’s electric energy level without losing the brisk, Latin-styled articulateness of his music.

The only disappointment was the tepid performance of Russ Freeman & the Rippingtons. If the single selection they played from a forthcoming album is any indication of the group’s current direction, then they are rapidly losing their already tenuous connection with jazz. The only breakthrough in their too-often murky wall of sound came during a vigorous bass solo by Kim Stone.

Earlier in the day, the gifted young jazz group Black Note opened the bill, followed by Barbara Morrison, Ronnie Laws with Bobby Lyle, and Les McCann.

The Long Beach Jazz Festival began Friday with Keiko Matsui, Jon Lucien and Joe Sample, and was scheduled to continue Sunday with a program that included the Al Williams Jazz Society, Roy Ayers, Angela Bofill, Ramsey Lewis, Carl Anderson and Poncho Sanchez.