Oregon Is Still in an Adventurous State

Oregon, the band, like Oregon, the state, is a study in contrasts. Sometimes dark and introspective, it can shift in a twinkling to aggressive and outgoing. “If you don’t like this weather,” Oregonians say, “just wait a few minutes and you’ll have something else.” One could say virtually the same for Oregon, the band.

In existence for nearly three decades, Oregon, which opened a rare two-night run at the Jazz Bakery on Tuesday night, has been a model for eclecticism in jazz. And the current installment--which still includes guitarist Ralph Towner, bassist Glenn Moore and multi-woodwind specialist Paul McCandless (percussionist Collin Walcott, who was killed in an auto accident in 1984, has been replaced by Mark Walker)--continues to pursue adventurous paths in both composition and improvisation.

The quartet’s late set was a revelation, each tune an unpredictable musical journey, enthusiastically greeted by a moderate-sized crowd. Some numbers unfolded with the floating lyricism generally associated with the ensemble, usually featuring Towner with his classically oriented acoustic guitar, and McCandless playing lovely melodic phrases on oboe or English horn. Pieces of this sort both predated and helped to trigger the “smooth jazz” style. But in Oregon’s hands, they flowed with a subtle, musical density not always present in their more commercially oriented imitators.

Other pieces took a radical left turn, usually with the multitalented Towner playing keyboard synths. In these works, Oregon revealed its roots in ‘60s avant-garde, unleashing joint improvisations filled with buzzing, shimmering, rattling sounds. And here, too, one could sense the sort of aural energies that have emerged in the industrial sound film scores of the ‘90s.

Yet another side of Oregon surfaced in more straight-ahead jazz, solid, rhythmic works filled with strong improvisational soloing from each of the group members.

It was an extraordinarily impressive performance by a band that has been far too unnoticed in recent years. Perhaps appropriately, it arrived in town at a time when Los Angeles was experiencing Oregon-style weather. Hopefully, it won’t take another El Nin~o to bring the group back for a more extended run.