Pharoah Sanders Quartet, With a Nod to John Coltrane

Saxophonist Pharoah Sanders was an important participant in the heady, envelope-stretching jazz of the ‘60s. Closely associated with John Coltrane’s ensembles for the last few years of the legendary figure’s life, he interacted synergistically, influenced by Coltrane’s style while simultaneously contributing his own robust musical passions to the music’s turbulent currents.

On Tuesday night at Catalina’s Bar & Grill, Sanders opened his set with vivid recollections of those connections--first via an incantatory rendering of “Welcome,” followed by an up-tempo romp through “Giant Steps.” Although these particular works were first heard before Sanders’ arrival in the Coltrane circle, his capacity to grasp their fullest creative implications was profound.

“Welcome” was the perfect introduction to the evening, a work whose soaring melody took flight via Sanders’ upper-register lines over a murmuring, shimmering swirl of sound and rhythm from pianist William Henderson, bassist Jeff Littleton and drummer Ralph Penland.

When vocalist Dwight Tribble entered, initially with sweet, suspended tones, eventually arriving at a warmly spiritual musical greeting, the performance reached an extraordinary level of collective communication.

“Giant Steps” shot headfirst into the upper stratosphere of extended harmonic improvising. The tune’s chordal scheme--a stunningly demanding sequence in which key changes arrive every few bars with frightening regularity--posed no hazards for Sanders. Launching quickly, he delivered a stunningly facile improvisation, playing at great length, maintaining his inventive edge from beginning to end.

The balance of the set shifted away from Coltrane and into a multilayered version of “Body and Soul,” with particularly imaginative contributions from the gifted Tribble. (At a time when male jazz singers are in such short supply, it’s astonishing that talents in- ferior to his are receiving so much more attention.) A hand-clapping blues--displaying Sanders’ considerable versatility--wound matters up.

It would be easy to criticize Sanders--as some have done--for his allegiance to the Coltrane musical canon. But this music--like that of Ellington, Monk, Parker et al--is part of the essential jazz repertoire.

Although most of it was not conceived in the same fashion as European concert music, it similarly merits continuing interpretation and reinterpretation. And Sanders deserves credit for doing just that--for insisting that Coltrane, like Bach, should be heard in every possible creative manifestation.

*

Pharoah Sanders Quartet with Dwight Tribble at Catalina’s Bar & Grill, 1640 N. Cahuenga Blvd. Tonight at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m., $18 cover; Friday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 7:30 p.m., $22 cover; Friday at 10:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 p.m., $20 cover; Saturday at 8:30 p.m., $25 cover, at 10:30 p.m., $22 cover. Two-drink minimum. (323) 466-2210.