JAZZ REVIEW : Avery a Nice Complement to Black/Note Set at Catalina

The L.A.-grown quintet Black/Note has always been a band whose sum is greater than its parts. Adding an additional part, as happened Monday at Catalina Bar & Grill when tenor saxophonist Teodross Avery joined the combo, resulted in making the sum just that much greater.

Pairing the 22-year-old, Oakland-born, Boston-based Avery with the hometown pride of young lions was a natural. Both Black/Note and Avery favor the kind of post-bop sound and material that suggests Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers during their ‘60s heyday. Placing Avery’s tenor against the alto of James Mahone and the trumpet of Gilbert Castellanos enriched the frontline sound while providing a bit of competitive interest as well.

Working on such numbers as Joe Henderson’s “Home Stretch” and his own “High Hopes,” Avery proved himself a tenor out of the Wayne Shorter mold, one whose fluid attack and slightly abrasive tone combine in stirring fashion. His unaccompanied introduction to “Everything Happens to Me” showed a more thoughtful approach, as he spun lyrical variations on the familiar theme.

Mahone’s segmented delivery made for interesting contrast with Avery’s more seamless style. The alto saxophonist develops his phrases in flurries broken by considered silences, a technique that gives each line added impact.

*

Trumpeter Castellanos also played in bursts with a style that recalls the more aggressive side of the late Woody Shaw. Pianist Ark Sano’s drive and persistence, a characteristic he shares with Avery, was especially effective on Thelonious Monk’s “Evidence.”

Despite the absence of B/N’s usual drummer Willie Jones (who rejoins the group for tonight’s performances) and only a short pre-show rehearsal with Avery, the band worked in unusually tight fashion. Bassist Mark Shelby’s solid pulse was the glue that held the sextet together, while substitute drummer Brett Saunders stuck with to-the-beat play against Shelby’s firm footings.

* Black/Note with Teodross Avery appears tonight at Catalina Bar & Grill, 1640 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. $10. (213) 466-2210.