JAZZ REVIEW : Nonnis Makes Good Arrangements at Cafe Lido

As a big-band leader, Paolo Nonnis succeeds on three counts. And all three sides of this formula were audible Sunday when the drummer brought his 14-piece ensemble into the Cafe Lido for a late-afternoon concert.

First, Nonnis has an ear for good arranging. Whether the band reaches back to Ellington, as they did on “Rockin’ In Rhythm,” or looks to something a little more contemporary, as on Madonna’s “Hanky Panky,” the charts take the original tune into new territory. Tempos change directions at a moment’s notice, then change again, while the different brass sections alternate between clash and complement, with trumpets taking the lead here, trombones or saxes there.

“Rockin’ In Rhythm,” arranged for Nonnis by Bill Cunliffe, Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition winner, is a good example. The band introduced the number with a witty, minor-key statement of the rollicking theme, then set about laying it open, with the trombone section pushing through frantic saxophone lines while the trumpets soared over the top. There was space for a long, unaccompanied solo outing from keyboardist Brian O’Rourke that worked a series of variations from a repetitive left-hand foundation before the band jumped back in for an intense, sustained close.

“Hanky Panky,” also arranged by Cunliffe, looked to the tune’s more direct rhythmic underpinnings with strong bass-and-drum pacing. The outing became a showcase for exceptional improvisations, led by Louis Taylor’s enthusiastic, John Coltrane-influenced tenor work.

Other stand-out arrangements included Don Menza’s “Samba De Rollins,” a swaying affair that found the trumpet section building on a warm base of trombone flourishes before Nonnis began to rattle the mood with jungle-like tom-tom work. Keith Bishop’s version of “I’ll Remember You” got its warmth from a unison statement of five alto saxes.

The second facet of Nonnis’ formula is his ability to assemble bands of musicians who can be team players as well as strong individual performers. Saxophonist Louis Taylor is best representative of this, stepping up with strong, full-of-life improvisational skills before melding back into the ensemble play. Taylor jumped into “Hanky Panky” with squawking declarations, then switched to long, well-crafted lines that he interspersed with low-end warbles. His glassy-toned soprano work on the Ellington number emphasized the rock aspects of its title.

Other stand-out individual efforts included Rich Berkeley’s fluid trombone work on “Crazy He Calls Me,” trombonist Wendell Kelly’s upbeat statements during “Hanky Panky” and Lee Secard’s running baritone comments on “You Got It,” which also featured David Scott’s trumpet solo.

Although this was not the most finely tuned of Nonnis’ recent performances--a few of his key regulars, including saxophonist Kim Richmond, were unavailable--the ensemble work was assertive and mostly tight. Special mention should go to fill-in lead trumpeter Dan Fornero, who, in place of Clay Jenkins, was playing the music for the first time.

Finally, Nonnis’ own drum work is what pulls this ambitious ensemble together. His time-keeping is the sort that snaps a band to attention, smoothing over the changes and keeping the rhythms seamless. His drive was especially invigorating during upbeat numbers, as on Cunliffe’s arrangement of the Lennon-McCartney tune “Can’t Buy Me Love.” And his solo brush work during “Traps,” paced by insistent claps from his hi-hat cymbal, contained a crayon-box’s worth of shading and color.