Don Grusin picks his genres, runs with them

Pianist-composer Don Grusin had some doubts about a career in music -- understandable, perhaps, given the presence of a highly successful, accomplished older brother named Dave Grusin.

Fortunately, after spending a few years teaching economics, the younger Grusin’s attraction to music became too strong to resist.

Over the past three decades he has worked with such artists as Lee Ritenour, Patti Austin and Quincy Jones, and Brazilian artists Djavan and Simone, as well as with his sibling, and has led a series of his own ensembles.

Grusin’s versatility was on full display Thursday night at the Vic in a performance intended to introduce material from his upcoming album, “The Hang,” due later this year.

And, although he did so via tunes such as the rhythmically dynamic “El Floridita,” the evening was enhanced even more by selections revealing Grusin’s ability to impart engaging pop instrumental qualities to a wide range of musical genres.

He began the set with a quirkily inventive solo rendering of “What Is This Thing Called Love?” A few tunes later he dipped into the rhythms of the samba with a jaunty version of Ary Barroso’s classic “Aquarela do Brasil,” and followed that with a smooth rendering of Miles Davis’ “Nardis” and a fast-paced romp through his multi-noted “Catwalk.”

Grusin also featured vocalist Natali Rene in the touching “30 Miles” (written by Rene and Grusin), and invited veteran studio vocalist Tommy Funderberk to the stage for a duet with Rene on the Temptations’ “My Girl.”

The far-ranging musical selections were ably supported by violinist Charlie Bisharat, bassist Armand Sabal-Lecco and drummer Walfredo Reyes Jr.

But it was Grusin’s dependable piano work and imaginative compositions and arrangements -- light years removed from his life as an academician -- that found the heart of the music and underscored the correctness of his career decision.