Barretto Turns Jazz Bakery Into Rhythm Central

At a time when the term “Latin jazz” has become inclusive enough to embrace everything from salsa to son, from stirring dance rhythms to call-and-response vocals, it’s always a pleasure to hear the way Ray Barretto’s music focuses into a clear jazz perspective.

On Thursday at the Jazz Bakery, in one of his periodic and always pleasurable visits to the Southland, he led the current installment of his New World Spirit group through a collection of tunes in which stirring improvisation was supported by a hard-driving rhythm section and Barretto’s dynamic conga playing.

Barretto’s illustrious jazz history embraces recordings and performances with Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Gene Ammons, Mongo Santamaria, Lou Donaldson and dozens of others. And the insights gained from working with so many different stylists were constantly present in his playing.

Although he is fully capable of virtuosic brilliance--which he didn’t hesitate to display on several numbers--he also offered more laid-back, subtle sounds, as well. Stroking his drums softly, tapping out tiny accents on their edges, generating low, rumbling textures, he played a constantly illuminating role in bringing his bop-tinged music to life.

This version of New World Spirit included a frequent Barretto associate, saxophonist Adam Kolker, as well as trumpeter John Bailey, Venezuelan pianist Luis Perdomo, bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Vince Cherico. And the musical blend worked well in a far-ranging set of material that included everything from ballads such as “My Ideal” to Randy Weston’s perky “Hi-Fly.”

In each case, Barretto transformed the original material into a steaming caldron of rhythm supporting fine soloing from Perdomo, Kolker and Cherico. Perdomo--yet another gifted South American jazz pianist--delivered several particularly thoughtful improvisations filled with arching melodic fragments and bursts of dark-textured chording. He’s a talent to watch.

And drummer Cherico successfully accomplished the not-always-easy task of blending his straight-ahead jazz rhythms with Barretto’s congas, while soloing with the same sort of subtlety that characterized the work of each of the performers in this stellar, eminently listenable Latin jazz ensemble.

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Ray Barretto and New World Spirit at the Jazz Bakery, 3233 Helms Ave., Culver City. Tonight and Sunday at 8 and 9:30 p.m. $25. (310) 271-9039.