With Jack Sheldon and his all-stars driving the beat, the joint is jumpin’

In an entertainment world overflowing with multi-hyphenates, Jack Sheldon stands on his own. One could easily add, after his name, a string of professional identities that would include trumpeter, singer, comedian, actor, television personality and all-around raconteur. A highly visible presence on the Southland stage since the mid-’50s, he continues to provide a consistently engaging blend of first-rate jazz and no-holds-barred comedic jiving.

Sheldon is most frequently heard with small groups, but it is within the setting of the Jack Sheldon Orchestra -- a 17-piece ensemble performing beautifully crafted arrangements by Tom Kubis -- that his myriad talents are best experienced.

On Saturday night, Sheldon and his posse of Southland all-stars filled every inch of space onstage at the Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood, swinging crisply from the first propulsive notes of Fats Waller’s appropriately titled “The Joint Is Jumpin’.”

Perched on a stool, surrounded by his players, Sheldon had the look of a satisfied Cheshire cat, alternating inimitably phrased vocals with cool-sounding, melodically centered trumpet solos. Between numbers, he tossed off one-liners with the aplomb of a stand-up comedian.

He seemed to derive the greatest pleasure, however, as catalyst for the powerful ensemble work and kaleidoscopic soloing of his orchestra. Triggering tunes such as “Anthropology,” “Donna Lee,” “Just in Time” and “Early Autumn,” he coaxed choruses from virtually every member of the band -- with particularly impressive contributions from saxophonists Lanny Morgan and Pete Christlieb, trumpeters Wayne Bergeron and Ron Stout, trombonist Andy Martin and bassist Jennifer Leitham.

In this way, Sheldon was more than a multi-hyphenate. He was a jazz lightning rod, galvanizing an electrifying evening of big band music.