JAZZ REVIEWS : Triple Bill ‘Jazz at the Center’ a Study in Contrasts

Purists might complain that there was little real jazz at Friday’s triple-bill, first installment of the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s “Jazz at the Center” series. But the diversity among the three acts, none of which could be described as traditional, mainstream or straight-ahead, made a good argument for throwing out such narrow definitions.

And diversity is just what kept this three-hour-and-then-some extravaganza from slipping into tedium. Opening with saxophonist Tom Scott’s butt-kicking backbeat quartet, the program segued into the virtuosic guitar-vocal duo of Tuck & Patti, then closed with keyboardist David Benoit’s ambitiously orchestrated 11-piece ensemble. Anyone looking for contrast during the evening was rewarded in abundance.

But that doesn’t mean the program didn’t have its dull moments. When headliner Benoit reached back to the kind of material that first brought him fame among Adult Contemporary radio listeners, he seemed uninspired by the sing-song themes and their flag-waving choruses, and the performances showed it. But in his recent, more ambitious compositions, say the hoedown-flavored “Houston” from his 1990 release “Inner Motion,” Benoit moved beyond hearts-and-flowers into real emotion.

It was also during this sort of material that the composer-keyboardist made best use of his ensemble: rhythm section, saxophonist-flutist Eric Marienthal, three-man brass line and string quartet. “Houston” featured galloping trumpet-and-sax passages, string sections that made you want to get up and square dance, and hip flute and alto sounds from Marienthal that gave modern definition to the title city. During one climactic section, cowboy hoots and hollers filled the air and the piece’s overall effect was what we might have expected of Aaron Copland had he turned to fusion.

Benoit’s “Bebach” was also a nice blend of classical and electric sounds, with the strings answering the composer’s synthesizer lines with stately minuet figures. Marienthal’s soprano work during the tune was definitely on the contemporary side of the fence, but his tone melded nicely with the music’s long-hair sensibilities.

The keyboardist’s own playing was best reflected on the more mainstream offerings. His work on Bill Evans’ “Letter to Evan” (to be heard on an upcoming album) found him utilizing some of Evans’ own intelligent whimsy and working with a strong narrative sense, if still somewhat more predictable than the tune’s composer. Benoit also paid tribute to Vince Guaraldi with lively, nicely rhythmic versions of Guaraldi’s familiar “Peanuts Theme” and “Cast Your Fate to the Wind.”

Tuck & Patti’s warm, emotive ways provided a soothing interlude between the two beat-minded acts it divided. Tuck Andress is an amazingly agile guitarist, whether playing solo or accompanying Patti Cathcart’s voice. Though Cathcart works in a rather limited range--her high tones have an uncomfortable, falsetto quality--she is an engaging vocalist who sings to a lyric with all the enthusiasm of a politician delivering a stump speech. Cindy Lauper’s “Time After Time” seemed especially suited to her airy, soft-as-velvet tones.

Andress displayed his chops during a solo outing on Carlos Santana’s “Europa,” pushing his finger-picking style through flamenco fireworks before entering into a series of crisp chords produced by slaps at his strings. For her unaccompanied number, Cathcart provided her own scat backing to a blues that dealt with the tribulations of buying and wearing high-heeled shoes. The singer’s delivery was so natural on the humorous piece that it seemed impromptu, as if she was making up the lyric as she went along.

The two showed the most empathy (a word Andress repeatedly parodied when introducing his solo piece) on their trademark “Takes My Breath Away.” Andress is an adept accompanist, providing strong chordal foundations and perfectly formed echoes and embellishments. Though the unswerving theme of their material and between tune comments--love’s power to overcome most anything--wore thin (you can’t help but wish Cathcart would get down with that smoky voice of hers and sing something nasty!), their set was the evening’s most satisfying.

Opening act saxophonist Tom Scott, whose latest recording is a decent mainstream-inspired outing entitled “Born Again,” concentrated instead on funk-powered numbers with his quartet; guitarist Jerry Lopez, keyboardist Tom McMorrin, bassist Jimmy Earl and drummer John Friday. The only tune pulled from the new album, “Back Burner,” an Oliver Nelson-inspired romp (Scott worked for the late composer-bandleader in his younger days), saw the saxophonist displaying some chops, with little of the volume effects that he inserted into the more rhythmically accessible material.

Instead, Scott stuck to the fusion formula, working in a predictable manner over strong beats and heavy bass lines. His most developed solo came on the Average White Band’s “Picking Up the Pieces,” which found him using a deep, resonant note as a touchstone as he spun strong, danceable lines.