Fields Gives Voice to His Own Rich, Sax Style

Los Angeles is filled with such an abundance of first-rate jazz talent that gifted players sometimes escape attention. And for many, their far-reaching versatility--a virtual requirement for survival in the Southland’s caldron of film, television and studio work--tends to diminish further their individual visibility.

Saxophonist Brandon Fields, who appeared at Rocco Ristorante on Friday night to celebrate the release of a new album, is a good example.

For the past 15 years, he has performed exceptionally on alto, tenor and soprano saxophones, led his own groups, made frequent session appearances and toured with both George Benson and the Rippingtons. In the process, he has performed effectively in styles ranging from bop and R&B; to fusion and smooth jazz.

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But what became immediately clear Friday was that Fields’ own style has been too rarely heard. Founded upon mainstream bop with elements of fusion crossover tossed in for seasoning, it was a consistently expressive vehicle for his almost always fascinating musical ideas.

Working with a particularly effective trio--pianist Alan Pasqua, bassist Dave Carpenter and drummer Dave Weckl--the saxophonist centered upon selections from his new album, “Brandon Fields & Strings” (PRC Records). Although the CD’s full string orchestra was absent, Fields filled in the gaps, delivering a series of solos balancing his rich sound with an almost vocalized technical articulation--all driven by an approach to rhythm that accumulated bits and pieces of notes and musical phrases into a propulsive forward flow.

If there was one small flaw in his playing it was a tendency to deliver a similar quality of sound on each of the three saxophones he played--a habit common to multi-instrumentalists who rarely take time to discover the different characteristics of each instrument.

But when he was playing alto saxophone, Fields, 41, was first rate, a player worthy of far more careful consideration than he has received for most of his extensive career.