JAZZ REVIEWS : Pleasant Results From False Expectations

The lineup this past weekend at System M, with saxophonist Michael Session leading a quintet on Friday night and hot-and-hungry young combo Black/Note coming in on Saturday, promised a back-to-back view of the more aggressive side of West Coast jazz. But the results weren’t quite what one expected.

Session’s date looked to put the spotlight on the individual, revealing another side of the saxophonist, who’s best known for his long stint with pianist Horace Tapscott’s various ensembles. Black/Note, whose all-for-one, one-for-all approach resulted in the release last year of its major-label debut, “Jungle Music” (Columbia), promised original material from guys whose four-year association with one another would allow them to explore the nuances of their ambitious compositions.

Wrong on both counts.

Session’s first set Friday was a bare-knuckles presentation of originals that emphasized teamwork. Black/Note, missing trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos and using subs for pianist Ark Sano and drummer Willie Jones III, fell back on standards to find common ground, and individual performances took precedence over teamwork.

Session’s ensemble, with trumpeter Steve Smith, pianist Nate Morgan, drummer Sonship Theus and bassist Jeff Littleton, opened in hot style with the saxophonist’s “Shortstop,” an impressive obstacle course of mood and rhythm changes.

After the tight trumpet-alto sax theme backed by Theus’ cymbal-and-rim ride, the tune moved into a droning bass line with a minor-key feel, then to a major-key chorus followed by a swing tempo before dissolving back to the suggestively sinister drone.

The challenge here for the improviser was to construct narratives against each of these backdrops while making meaningful segues between them. Session had no problem with this, firing through each section with strength and emotion, overpowering each break. His attack carried the energy of fellow saxophonist Sonny Fortune with touches of Cannonball Adderley’s soulfulness.

In contrast, the changes sometimes caught Smith still developing his idea, occasionally calling for an abrupt change in attitude. But these few misses made the times he hit the changes even more impressive.

Morgan, though hampered by the club’s tinny-sounding upright piano, rolled through his improvisation with the muscular feel of McCoy Tyner, sometimes adding quirky dissonant passage to great effect.

Moving to tenor, Session worked up soul-baring passages inside his tune “Bavarian Mist,” throwing in warbling, overtone-filled sounds that recalled John Coltrane’s most expressive period. On Morgan’s “Journey To Nigritia,” the saxophonist, this time playing soprano, brought a strong measure of swing to his forward-looking attack.

Drummer Theus made strong contributions to each number, shading his sound with rim-shots and hits to a set of wood blocks, bongos and the sides of cymbals. His explosive close to “Journey To Nigritia” was the evening’s most exciting moment.

Although it was disappointing that, because of the substitutes, Black/Note was unable to air any of its original material, the combo still delivered fine individual performances, especially from its two core members.

Alto saxophonist James Mahone took a suave, unruffled approach to his play, stating his improvisations in even tones that avoided any hint of histrionics. This even-keel attitude allowed him to work a theme-and-variation approach that found his solos developing concisely. He was most expressive working the changes while playing “On Green Dolphin Street.”

Sub-pianist Greg Kurstin, who’s been seen around the area with saxophonist Dale Fielder’s group, among others, delivered tastefully melodic solos that insistently pushed ahead.

Drummer Guy Killum kept tempos interesting with snare and cymbal embellishments, breaking rhythmic tedium with inventive exchanges between his tom-toms and ride cymbal.

But it was bassist Mark Shelby, the undeclared leader of Black/Note, who left the biggest impression.

Despite feedback that occasionally masked his play, Shelby showed agility and a surplus of melodic ideas that worked well in both accompaniment and solo roles. He ranks with bassist Christian McBride as a leader in the great tradition of Ray Brown and Milt Hinton.

It took this abridged edition of Black/Note a pair of tunes to develop some rapport, but by the time they jumped into an up-tempo version of “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise” they had hit their stride. Mahone bobbed and weaved gracefully. Kurstin provided frame and color, then raced off through an impressive solo of his own while Shelby pushed hard from below. Any disappointment over the lack of the complete Black/Note lineup disappeared at this point.

Black/Note, which late last year toured the United States and Europe in support of “Jungle Music,” will record its next album--due out late this year--for GRP’s Impulse! label. Session, whose only release, “In Session,” is on the obscure German label ITM Pacific, will travel to Europe later this week with Tapscott’s large ensemble. He will also continue to lead his own band here in Southern California.