Reuniting the Band That Time Forgot

The members of the Hungry Joe’s Reunion Band had a little trouble with memory Wednesday at Restaurant Kikuya. Exactly how long had it been since they’d played together? Which years exactly in the ‘70s did they play in Hungry Joe’s, the Huntington Beach hole-in-the wall restaurant that was destroyed in a fire exactly 21 years ago Wednesday? And what, other than pizza (and great music), was on the menu?

Though the details may have been a little sketchy, vibraphonist Dave Pike, pianist Tom Ranier, guitarist Ron Eschete and bassist Luther Hughes had no trouble recalling the kind of jazz they once played. Their first set in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, with drummer Paul Kriebich filling in for Hungry Joe’s drummer Ted Hawke (who now lives in Paris) was filled with alert teamwork, blistering tempos and fine individual efforts.

This much the men remembered: Sometime around 1973, after returning from several years living in Europe, vibist Pike persuaded the owner of Hungry Joe’s, a tiny hangout near the Huntington Beach Pier largely populated by surfers and bikers, to let him bring in bands. After trying different combinations of musicians, Pike pulled together Ranier, Eschete, Hughes and Hawke.

Others played HJ’s, including pianist Gene Harris and Bob Cassens’ Orange County Rhythm Machine with saxophonist-composer Tom Kubis. But it was Pike’s ensemble, modeled on his European band, the Dave Pike Set, that put Hungry Joe’s on the map.

Word spread and people began driving from as far as the San Fernando Valley, often filling the place to overflowing during the group’s two-plus years’ of five nights a week. The group recorded four LPs for Joe Fields’ Muse label, some of which (notably 1975’s “Times Out of Mind”) have made it on to CD.

While it was announced from the bandstand (in loud yet uncertain terms) that 25 years had passed since they’d last worked together, the true figure was something under 20. Still, they came together as if it were yesterday.

With Ranier en route from a Los Angeles studio session, the group moved quickly into Pike’s version of “I Remember April,” played at a surprisingly fast tempo. The arrangement, as it was performed by the group in the ‘70s, contains a repeating motif of ascending lines that mirrors the bridge from Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman.”

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Pike, his arms flashing, swirled through these phrases in precise formation with the others, then spun off into a wildly fleet improvisation.

The arrangement of “All Blues” had similar touches. Pike and Eschete introduced a lullaby, their instruments resonating in unison. Then, using double mallets to ring up some offbeat harmonics, the vibist quoted the familiar theme, alternating lines from “Farwaway Places” for effect. For the first line of his solo, played with stirring abandon, he quoted “It Ain’t Necessarily So.”

Despite the presence of three harmonic instruments--piano, guitar and vibraphone--the music was never cluttered with accompaniment. Once Ranier arrived, he and Eschete often played as one behind the soloist, or trade lines suggested by the vibes.

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Hughes, playing upright acoustic bass, was particularly sharp on up-tempo numbers, and his quote from “The Flintstones” theme got the night’s biggest laugh. Kriebich, best known as a sensitive accompanist for pianists and vocalists, here had a chance to prove his corresponding speed, muscle and inventive sense of embellishment. The challenging tempos seemed no sweat for anyone.

There were lots of smiles, knowing glances and, no doubt, musical reminiscing going on among the musicians. Pike, always a whirligig of energy, often hit slamming final tones with a sweeping, dramatic gesture. He was especially demonstrative on “Body and Soul,” filling the ballad with exquisite runs and sustained, ringing harmonics.

Between sets, there was some discussion whether their Hungry Joe’s engagement ran out sometime in 1975 before the place caught fire, or because of that fire. But one thing was certain: This band is still smokin’.