The Coalescence of Rickey Woodard: Bounce and Sophistication

Rickey Woodard is a throwback to the golden days of the tenor saxophonist. Unlike most tenor players of his generation, who have sprung from the influences of John Coltrane and/or Wayne Shorter, 42-year-old Woodard seems cast from another era, that of Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Lester Young and Gene “Jug” Ammons.

Woodard’s play during his quartet’s first set Saturday at Spaghettini in Seal Beach suggested all these masters: Hawkins’ propulsive speed, Webster’s gravely accents, Young’s gliding grace. When Woodard played Ammons’ soulful “Water Jug,” the heart of his sound became apparent.

Woodard’s blues and soul leanings were apparent. His bouncy reading of “In a Mellotone” and his own blues-soaked “Miss Jackie” (which he dedicated to his hometown of Nashville) were wide-ranging exercises that gave a full measure of down-home gospel feel while never losing the intellectual sophistication that marks his solos.

Woodard’s ability to combine such disparate notions, shown in his successful embrace of Young and Webster’s differing styles, is what makes his music so rewarding.

The evening’s first three numbers all seemed to move at the same bouncy pace, a tempo at which Woodard does his best work. Bobbing gently as he played, Wodard accelerated into lines with warm tones that seemed to melt into one another.

He added growls and rough-hewn lines for accent and double-time runs just when the going threatened to become predictable. He developed musical motifs along the Hawkins model, quoting from other tunes, then playing variations on those quotes.

Breaking the upbeat pace, Woodard played “It Could Happen to You” with deliberate care and thoughtful expression. He slid seductively into pitch, then accelerated into lyrical phrases that often ended with a shimmer of vibrato. The melodic flow went unbroken until the next instrument soloed.

Woodard’s group included pianist Greg Kurstin, who also looks past the ‘60s for inspiration. Like Woodard, Kurstin’s improvisations generated a momentum all their own, and the pianist reflected an understanding of the jazz lexicon, adding Basie-like quotes during “In a Mellotone,” throwing in a little barrelhouse during “Water Jug.”

With drummer Clarence Johnston and bassist Jeffrey Littleton providing beat and a good measure of bounce, the players got so involved during its solos on “It Could Happen to You” that, by the time Woodard rejoined the fray, the song had become “Emily.”

No matter. When Woodard plays, everything comes together.