JAZZ REVIEW : Addition Changes the Tune : Haden Quartet Sound Is Altered With New Saxman Sitting In

In the six or so years since Charlie Haden’s Quartet West recorded its first album, the combo has created a distinct identity based on the interaction of its members’ musical personalities. Change one of those members and you come up with a different-sounding band.

So with saxophonist Bennie Maupin filling in for the otherwise engaged Ernie Watts, the audience assembled Friday for the quartet’s appearance at the Hyatt Newporter’s outdoor amphitheater heard a different Quartet West than we’ve been accustomed to. Its usual balance--Watts’ melodic, yet hard-edged, sometimes explosive tenor set against pianist Alan Broadbent’s romantically rich sound, Haden’s folk-driven bass work and drummer Larance Marable’s colorful swing--was upset.

Less familiar with the material than original member Watts, Maupin--a veteran of Miles Davis’ groundbreaking “Bitches Brew” session as well as an integral part of Herbie Hancock’s forward-thinking Mwandishi ensemble--took a more reserved approach, in both tone and temperament. Rather than contrasting with Broadbent, as Watts does with his assertive playing, Maupin seemed more of the same mind, adding melodic romance to the keyboardist’s own clean-crafted sound. This made for a particularly moving presentation.

Before a note was struck, Haden introduced the group and its entire first set: three of his own compositions framed beginning and end by a pair of Charlie Parker numbers. Then it was down to uninterrupted business, a practice that gave the concert a programmatic wholeness.

Maupin was tested immediately on Parker’s “Passport,” a persistently driving ditty that found him working Sonny Rollins-like in a narrow range with little dynamic fluctuation. Broadbent’s chordally wise solo followed with all the lushness and heat of a love story set on a tropical island. Haden, backed by the pot stirring of Marable’s brushes, worked a series of abrupt variations on the theme, leaving plenty of space between phrases before stepping back in with strength and firmness.

Though “Passport” was the least attractively presented number of the set, things picked up as the tempo slowed for Haden’s beautiful ballad inspired by novelist Raymond Chandler, “Hello, My Lovely.” Broadbent’s almost classically framed introduction of heart-tugging chords and melancholy echoes set the mood before Maupin stepped up to state the theme. Both pianist and saxophonist soloed magically before Haden, backed this time by Marable’s simple, shimmering hi-hat work put together a more cohesive improvisation that continued the romance begun by Maupin and Broadbent.

Working behind clear plastic partitions that separate him from the sound of his band mates, Haden’s most melodic work came on “First Song.” Gone are the repetitive two-note figures that used to define Haden’s solo playing. Instead, the bassist mines the lyrical side of a composition, playing lines with the same kind of old-friend familiarity that folk music carries.

Unlike a lot of bassists who jump into the upper register when soloing, Haden works his upright’s lower tones, letting the instrument speak with a strong, resonant voice. Maupin also found the mood of “First Song” to his liking, turning in a comfortably warm effort that, while expanding its range, maintained a reserved dynamic sense.

Throughout the proceedings, Marable, who uses a very modest drum kit, supplied strong rhythmic timekeeping played with an ever-changing array of percussive color. Much like Max Roach, Marable brings an almost harmonic approach to his sound; he constantly shaded the beat with unexpected cymbal combinations, rim play and sprightly hi-hat passages. He was especially surprising during Haden’s “Child’s Play,” a Latin-flavored number that Marable fired with a dense, yet light attack.

While there were times during the evening that the music could have used Watts’ more dynamic, more showy sound, the fact is, he wasn’t really missed. Maupin’s contributions seemed appropriate to the overall romantic feel of the quartet’s music, and his strengths as a storyteller brought an unexpected freshness to the music.

Now one has to wonder: What would Quartet West sound like with, say, Teddy Edwards or even Wayne Shorter in the saxophone chair?