A Starry Smooth-Jazz ‘Serenade’

“Starlight Jazz Serenade” returned to the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre in North Hollywood on Tuesday night, the second annual event celebrating Hands for Hope’s efforts to provide academic, cultural and social enrichment for children in the area.

Once again, it drew a large crowd to hear a program packed with performances by some of the stellar acts in the smooth-jazz universe.

As in last year’s presentation, saxophonists were prominent. The muscular, Texas-based styles of Ron Brown and Everette Harp, arriving in back-to-back sequence, were particularly impressive.

Brown’s playing was invested with a soaring, gospel quality reflecting the deep spiritual commitment he noted in his between-numbers comments.

Harp, in his first live appearance of the year (he is working on a new album), offered an especially powerful set of solo variations, including one in which he added a wah-wah guitar-like sample to his tenor saxophone to produce something reminiscent of a fiery, rock guitar sound.

Dave Koz was present, as well--if only for a jam-session closing number with the Jeff Lorber group and Harp--serving up a solo brimming with surprisingly effective blues licks.

Keyboardist Kevin Toney’s set was dominated by the forceful, often dramatic chording that is his personal stock in trade, and the lesser-known Uge Groove opened the evening with a stage-setting look at the blues side of smooth jazz.

Performing in the climactic star position, Lorber offered numbers that were characteristically crisp and well-crafted. One of the pioneers of the genre, he continues to display a knack for cranking out catchy tunes enlivened by the sort of musical hooks that radio programmers love. Unfortunately, his onstage presence recalled the memory of Al Gore doing the Macarena.

Interestingly, despite all the star power, the headliners (who donated their services) were nearly upstaged by two lesser-known performers. Alto saxophonist Andre Roberson, a member of Lorber’s ensemble, played with a flair and inventiveness fully matching--sometimes surpassing--the work of the saxophone giants on the bill. He is clearly ready for his own solo career.

And actress-author LaRita Shelby, host of the show, was even more humorous and engaging than she was in last year’s event, possibly because in the interim she has written and published a book titled “The Nature of a True Diva.”

Hands for Hope can be reached at (818) 692-6600 or on the Web at www.hands4hope.org.