Singer-Pianist Tania Maria Keeps the Power Way Up

Tranquil moments are not what to expect at a performance by singer-pianist Tania Maria. Bristling, supercharged, high-voltage entertainment is what the veteran Brazilian-born performer is all about.

And on Tuesday at Catalina Bar & Grill, in the opening set of a six-night run for her Viva Brazil Quartet, Maria had the power switched on from the very first note she played. Starting out energetically, she never lowered the electricity.

In fact, one of her most gripping numbers was a piece (no titles were announced) that began with a series of hard-swinging solo riffs played in unison with her wordless singing. The technique has been a characteristic element in Maria’s style for decades, and she continued to deliver it with extraordinary effectiveness.

Other vocals had similarly instrumental qualities, her voice surfacing through the music with the timbre of a tenor saxophone, her phrasing short and punchy. And her piano playing, as with so many Brazilian singer-instrumentalists, was less accompaniment than an inseparable element in a holistic voice-piano combination.

Although Maria rarely made any real effort to interact with her audience--with the exception of a somewhat abortive effort to persuade the moderate-sized crowd to sing the chant-like phrases of “Mas que nada”--she was constantly talking, mugging and smiling at her ensemble, bassist Carlos Werneck, drummer Luiz Augusto and, especially, the effusive percussionist, Mestre Carneiro. The flowing visual communication within the group often was directly associated with the sudden shifts of accent and rhythm that made her vamp-based improvised passages so effective.

The internal group focus, however, diminished somewhat her connection with her listeners--a problem exacerbated by the fact that she was at the piano with a synthesizer placed alongside her in such a high position that she was barely visible. Nor did Catalina’s policy of placing tables up against the stage help much when a pair of patrons sat directly in front of Maria, further blocking the view. Fortunately, her sheer performing electricity usually crackled through the barriers, but she would have been even more impressive in an open, visible setting.

* The Tania Maria Quartet at Catalina Bar & Grill, 1640 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood. Tonight and Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 7:15 p.m., $18 cover. Tonight and Saturday at 10:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:15 p.m., $16 cover. Two-drink minimum. (323) 466-2210.