Blade’s Show Not as Compelling as Latest Album

Brian Blade may be the most reticent bandleader of recent memory--a considerable feat for a drummer. In his opening set at Catalina Bar & Grill Tuesday night, he sat in the darker part of the stage, behind his frontline instrumentalists, barely uttering a word to the audience except for the introduction of his players toward the close of the program.

Curiously and a bit ironically, the soft-spoken Blade was far more expressive as a player, frequently driving the music with powerful crescendos of sound and energy. From the listener’s point of view, however, his band--the Brian Blade Fellowship--could easily have been led by pianist Jon Cowherd, saxophonists Myron Walden and Melvin Butler or guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, all of whom spent a considerable amount of time in the solo spotlight.

Blade’s taciturn manner might not have been as apparent had the music had a more focused, personal quality. But far too many of the pieces--all unidentified except for a concluding number by Cowherd, which was described as “untitled”--emerged with the same overall arc. Starting from a relatively placid perspective, they built in waves of intensity to roaring climaxes, with many of the solo passages following similar procedures.

Not a bad idea in principle, for one or two pieces, but repeated over and over again, the result was, as one observer in the audience noted, “a bit like having sex in exactly the same position, night after night.”

And that was unfortunate, since the material, much of it from the latest Fellowship album, “Perceptual,” had considerable potential. Add to that the fact that there was some fine--even extraordinary--solo work, especially from Cowherd, Walden, Butler and Rosenwinkel, and the potential for a compelling evening of jazz was clearly present.

But the quality of the presentation failed to match the quality of the album, despite the presence of most of the same musicians. Equally problematic, although a seven-piece ensemble may have been appropriate for a recording, it came across as overkill in live performance, with too many instances in which numerous players (especially pedal steel guitarist Dave Easley) seemed to be sitting around waiting for something to happen.

Blade is a superb drummer and a composer with considerable potential. But he still needs to work on his skills as a practical and effective bandleader.

* The Brian Blade Fellowship at Catalina Bar & Grill through Sunday. 1640 N. Cahuenga Blvd., (323) 466-2210. $15 cover tonight at 8:30 and 10:30; Friday and Saturday at 10:30 p.m.; and Sunday at 9 p.m. $17 cover Friday and Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. Two-drink minimum.