JAZZ REVIEW : Bassist Putter Smith Strikes a Note for Democracy

It’s the fate of bass players to toil in the shadows. Putter Smith knows this as well as anyone. During a long career, the bassist has backed such notables as Carmen McRae, Thelonious Monk, John Mayall and Lew Tabackin. Why, one time he even played second fiddle for Marlene Dietrich’s excursion into singing.

So when leading his own combo, as he did Sunday at Spaghettini, Smith might be expected to jump into the foreground and get a little of the glory for himself, right?

Instead, the bassist chose to be democratic. Smith’s quartet proved to be a cooperative unit, with each member--pianist, bassist, drummer and alto saxophonist--given equal time in the spotlight. The result was a mixed bag, with a number of fine moments of improvisation and ensemble play sprinkled with times when the four musicians hunted for common ground.

Working in the common language of the jazz standard, the foursome played with competence, if not out-and-out genius. Many of their selections, such as “Speak Low” and “Alone Together” were familiar exercises. Others, such as Frank Rosolino’s moody “Blue Daniel,” were not, bringing a fresh flavor to the set.

Pianist Frank Strazzeri, who has also spent much time working for others (ranging from Chet Baker to Elvis Presley), provided many of the evening’s high points.

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Behind alto player Jon Whinnery, Strazzeri’s spare way of accompaniment, especially when paired with Smith’s more weighty support, was the epitome of taste and understatement, allowing the saxophonist to move about unfettered. Strazzeri’s unaccompanied introductions to many of the tunes were exercises in hide-and-seek, with the melody popping in and out of view as the passage proceeded.

But it was during his improvisations that Strazzeri really shined. His notoriously conservative left hand touched chords only here and there while his right did the talking. Each phrase stood complete in itself.

Strazzeri often hinted at other tunes before dissolving the reference back into his narrative flow. There was nothing extreme or flashy about his play. Instead, Strazzeri constructed his solos in a neat, concise fashion that recalled the manner of a short-story writer.

Though more active, Whinnery fit easily into this flow with a light, agile tone as soft and airy as a cotton puff. At one point during Whinnery’s solo on Joe Henderson’s “Recorda Me,” a member of the audience cried out, “Yeah, Paul Desmond!” and indeed, the saxophonist’s sound and attack did resemble that of the great Dave Brubeck associate.

While drummer Russell Bizzett kept his sound reserved in deference to the small room, Smith was more aggressive, wrestling back and forth with his upright during his own improvisations, sometimes squatting a bit as his fingers moved down the neck of his instrument.

He blended lyrical and percussive approaches as he played, sounding a melodic passage at one point before moving into a series of sliding figures that held a strong rhythmic attraction.

In accompaniment, Smith continued both rhythm and harmony functions, occasionally echoing lines from the piano or sax as he provided a solid pulse. Those who have seen Smith recently with longtime associate Alan Broadbent know how attuned the bassist is to the piano. This performance was no exception. In fact, Smith’s best work here came in service of the other soloists. Now, isn’t that just what you’d expect of a bassist?