Call it contemporary jazz, call it “smooth” call it “fusion,” but whatever you want to label it, David Benoit performed it, and performed it wonderfully during a solo piano concert at the acoustically adroit Scherr Theatre in Thousand Oaks.
Jokingly self-proclaimed as “one of the founding fathers of what became smooth jazz,” Benoit displayed with clarity and joy what makes him one of the few jazz artists that have lasted through years of various musical trends. His hands flowed during the upbeat and melodic “Every Step of the Way” while rich chords and explorative textures filled pieces related to his family on “Kei’s Song” and the reflective “Dad’s Room.”
Like all great artists, Benoit is able to tell a story, with “Napa Overture” taking you along pastoral hills, and the medley of “Candide Overture/Send In The Clowns” having Benoit trust the melody do its job. For the “jazz police” in the audience, he gave raw meat feasts with a glorious tribute to Bill Evans with “Waltz For Debbie” and a tip of the hat to Dave Brubeck that included a rococo “Strange Meadowlark” and thriving “Blue Rondo A La Turk.”
You can always tell a lot about a person by the company that he keeps, and Benoit’s infectious celebration of music is given away in his association with cartoon strips. His “Scherzo for Charles Brown” was a two handed romp of colliding keys, and with the statuesque Courtney Fortune at the vocals, a piece co-written by Kevin Fagan of “Drabble” fame made “I Won’t Give Up” a whimsical delight.
Fortune’s clear and coy voice mixed with a touch of indie as she richly delivered material from a recent collaborative album with Benoit. The title track, “Two In Love” had her husky and alluring, while she was assuring in a girl next door mood on “Dragonfly.” More akin to Betty than Veronica if you’re keeping score with comic books.
Back in the solo spot, Benoit created sonic ripples of spring water on a bluesy “Cast Your Fate to the Wind,” while his famed “Freedom at Midnight” threw in a “Moonlight Sonata” for good measure. Closing the evening, he reminded the audience why he was the right choice as the pianist for the Peanuts series as he delivered the Baby Boomer anthem of “Charlie Brown Theme Song,” with infectious spirit and even a dash of Cecil Taylor for extra spice.
The encore of “Someone To Watch Over Me” with a return of the Fortune breathing passion and longing into the lyrics as Benoit’s suave and supple support reminded everyone that jazz can still be something to enjoyed and not just analyzed.
Upcoming shows at the Civic Arts Plaza include Dave Koz & David Sanborn Aug 21, Engelbert Humperdinck Sept 21 and Al Stewart Sept 24