Sandoval Offers Set Full of Enthusiasm

Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval plays with lots of heat. But his fire casts little light.

The Cuban expatriate and Dizzy Gillespie disciple who first came to prominence with the band Irakere proved highly combustible Tuesday at Catalina Bar & Grill as he opened a six-day run leading a quintet. But he did little to newly illuminate the familiar bebop and Latin-flavored numbers that he played.

The sheer enthusiasm of his attack was Sandoval’s most attractive quality. Every solo was a scorcher, filled with long, blistering lines, supremely placed high notes and clever, though infrequent asides. Dynamic peaks followed one after another as he tore into each tune with all the energy of a kid tearing into gift wrap.

But despite the massive volume and range of sound, little of substance emerged. Only during a slow-tempo introduction to “Cherokee,” played with a mute tucked snug in the bell of his horn and backed only by pianist Chip Stephens, did the trumpeter show any sign of thoughtfulness. Once the band joined in, it was back to the races.

Not an especially crisp player, Sandoval used smeared clusters of notes and the odd bent-tone to give his improvisations character. He often pursued his hurried lines, as if by force of will alone, long after it seemed he would have run out of breath. While the pace was often physically exhilarating, those looking for some kind of intellectual content found little reward.

Sandoval’s sidemen, especially drummer Willie Jones III and conguero Eguie Castrillo, stoked the trumpeter’s flames while imparting a modern feel to such nearly half-century old tunes as Gillespie’s “Bebop.” Saxophonist Chip McNeill matched Sandoval’s fire with tenor solos that hung on impassioned cries and sizzling phrases.

A less heated side of Sandoval’s passion surfaced when he took to the piano for “Street of Desire.” Here, he developed lush, ascending chordal passages that carried a depth of feeling missing from his trumpet play. Sandoval made a strong impression as a hot player. But the trumpeter needs to glow as well as burn.

* The Arturo Sandoval Quintet appears tonight through Sunday at Catalina Bar & Grill, 1640 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood; 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. Today-Saturday, $18. Sunday, $15. (213) 466-2210.