Percussionist Aguabella and Band Perfect Afro-Cuban Beat

Putting Afro-Cuban rhythms to jazz standards gives them flesh and sets them to dancing. On the opening night of a two-night run at Catalina Bar & Grill Tuesday, percussionist Francisco Aguabella’s eight-piece band did just that, turning “Autumn Leaves,” “On Green Dolphin Street” and others into smartly animated, graceful personalities.

Born in Matanzas, Cuba, Aguabella, a small, quietly spoken man who is reticent to give his age, has been in Los Angeles for 25 years working with everyone from the late Frank Sinatra to Hugh Masekela and teaching in the enthnomusicology department of UCLA.

Seated at a trio of congas on the Catalina bandstand, he frequently became the eye of a rhythmic and improvisational storm, directing his ensemble with glances and rippling patter from his drums. Though not a flashy player, the constantly changing chatter he provided gave each tune an irresistible momentum.

Though performed without the usual jazz drummer’s kit--second percussionist Nengue Hernandez utilized a single cymbal and a foot-powered bass drum as he stood at his timbales--the music was densely percussive. Third percussionist Jose DeLeon created perpetual accent with his bongos, a cowbell and other noisemakers while bassist Eddie Resto’s to-the-beat plucks often placed him in the role of fourth percussionist. Aguabella’s play served as the music’s heartbeat.

This infectious propulsion spurred the three-man, conjunto-style horn section to make equally free-spirited statements. Saxophonist Charles Owens’ improvisations quickly spilled over into high-end caterwauls and progressively more assertive exclamations. Trumpeter Ramon Flores proved particularly agile, standing out on Kenny Dorham’s “Blue Bossa.” The extremely athletic play of trombonist Isaac Smith remained surprisingly melodic despite its blustery abandon.

With pianist Donald Vega providing harmonic interest and minor-key twists in his solos, the music often seemed as if it were made by more than eight men. Aguabella’s own tunes, pulled from his last recording, “H2O,” on the obscure OLM label, carried a strong, Cuban-roots appeal with their brass anthems, unexpected breaks and eclectic, dance-like grace.

Now in the process of recording for a larger, more visible company, the San Francisco-based Ubiquity/CuBop label, Aguabella is ready to take his place as one of the true remaining giants of Afro-Cuban music.