Smooth Lineup Explores Range of Contemporary Styles

The JVC Jazz at the Bowl concert Sunday night provided some interesting insights into the unusual range of music included in the so-called “contemporary” or “smooth” jazz arena.

Kicking off at the relatively early hour of 6 p.m., no doubt in an effort to protect the sensibilities of the Hollywood Bowl’s neighbors from the late-evening clatter of drums and synthesizers, the program featured the Zawinul Syndicate, Dave Koz, the Rippingtons and Hiroshima.

Not a bad representation of “contemporary” jazz, with the possible exception of keyboardist Joe Zawinul’s group, which can more accurately be described as a world jazz fusion ensemble. And, as it turned out, presenting the Syndicate as the opening act further separated the band from the balance of the program, largely dissipating any serious response from a crowd that was far more concerned with setting tables and opening wine bottles.

And that was a shame, since Zawinul made it clear--even after all his past successes with groups such as Weather Report--that he intends to continue to explore some fascinating musical territory.

There was, for example, the manner in which he used his synthesizers to produce startlingly naturalistic sounds, blending African chants with other, indefinable instrumental timbres; there was the astounding forward drive--a blend of jazz swing, Latin energy and African multi-metric complexities--produced by his rhythm section; and, above all, there was his willingness, his desire, to constantly push into new musical territories.

Hiroshima doesn’t quite qualify as a world fusion ensemble, despite its prominent use of the koto, a Japanese zither-like instrument, played by June Kuramoto. Despite the presence of the instrument’s unusual sounds (as well as some occasional pounding from a Japanese taiko drum), however, the ensemble’s music--with one exception--had the feel of pleasant, smooth melodic jazz.

The exception was Kimaya Seward, whose singing was one of the evening’s unexpected highlights. Capable of singing in soaring contemporary style while still retaining her own individuality, Seward not only brought life and energy to Hiroshima, she also revealed the potential to emerge as a breakout artist in her own right.

The Rippingtons, led by guitarist Russ Freeman, devoted most of their set to a group of easygoing numbers from an about-to-be-released album, “Black Diamond” (Peak Records/Windham Hill). “Amiable” may be the best word to describe Freeman’s music for the Rippingtons. But on at least one flamenco-styled track, he suggested a more compelling musical interest--one that, if examined further, could add color and contrast to the group’s sometimes predictable sound.

Saxophonist Koz’s tedious set was the polar opposite of Zawinul’s musical adventurousness.