Jazz Review : Saxophonist Hart Cuts Path in Jazz’s History

Antonio Hart is a young man on a quest. The 26-year-old, Baltimore-born saxophonist has been staking out a musical path that takes him through every jazz twist and turn that has opened up since the earliest days of be-bop.

Thursday, in the opening set of a four-night run at the Jazz Bakery, Hart presided over a quintet of young players eager to follow him through a rigorous collection of music ranging from Cannonball Adderley-inflected bop through Coltranesque stretching and into the mysterious thickets of the jazz avant-garde.

Hart made it clear, in everything he played, that he intends to be one of the important members in the flock of talented new saxophonists arriving on the scene in the ‘90s. In his initial soloing, his alto saxophone work bristled with a crisp, articulate, Adderley-influenced swing. But as the evening progressed and Hart switched between alto and soprano saxophones, his improvisations broadened, adding traces of soaring high harmonics, furious, horn-engulfing note flurries and, in the ballads, syrupy-rich low tones. Like many of his contemporaries, Hart views the entire history of jazz saxophone as his source material.

He also revealed commendable leadership skills. Trumpeter Darren Barrett is an impressive enough player to scare the wits out of some leaders, but Hart obviously enjoyed his every note. And with good reason. Barrett’s solos were masterful examples of improvisation as composition. Like Thad Jones, he used dynamic changes--subtle alternations of loud and soft sounds--and jigsaw puzzle-like patterns of phrase and melody to create strikingly coherent statements. Barrett is a trumpeter with a bright future.

Hart’s other musicians--James Hurt, piano; Tassili Bond, bass, and Nasheet Waits, drums--were similarly effective, with the brisk interaction between Hurt and Waits, in particular, providing a carefully channeled but vigorously compelling rhythmic undercurrent to the proceedings.

* The Antonio Hart Quintet at the Jazz Bakery through Sunday. 3233 Helms Ave. (310) 271-9039. $20 admission. Hart performs one show, at 8:30 tonight and at 8 p.m. Sunday.