The sparks were flying at Catalina’s Thursday night as the powerful front line provided by guitarist Mike Stern and drummer Dave Weckl gave the packed house 100 minutes of rocking modern jazz.
Both gents are formidable leaders in their own rights, and with them both at the helm teamed up with Weckl’s longtime bassist Tom Kennedy and Ben Sidran alumnus Bob Malach on tenor, the room was filled with flexed muscles, melodies that were both intricate and lyrical and a display of chops that was akin to a workshop for aspiring artists.
Stern proved once and for all that he’s completely recovered, and more so, from the accident to his right hand, as he tore through the opening “Nothing Personal” like a ravenous dog while Weckl’s energetic and precise drumming was as if he were channeling John Bonham while Kennedy laid down a deep rivulet and Malach gave a frenzied solo before Weckl’s crisp and jaw dropping solo to close out the tune. Stern then got the band into an ominous mood as his moody blues “You Never Know” created long and dark shadows as Weckl’s murky groove trudged through the thick mist.
While Stern is acknowledged worldwide for his guitar skills, his use of the pen is highly underrated, as his fragrant ballads “All You Need” and “I Believe You” mix ethereal voices, dreamy guitar and lyrical themes caressed along by the rhythm teams gentle lilt.
Weckl then did a series of inspiring improvisational duets with each teammate, using his hands on the drums to Stern’s rockish blues, shuffling with his brushes to Malach’s bopping lines and going mano a mano with Kennedy on a kinetic conversation that could only be carried out by longtime childhood friends that anticipate every thought and action. The rapport between these two gents was a musical affirmation of the benefits of life-long kindred spirits.
Closing with a rollicking and frantic “Trip” from his latest album, Stern got Hendrixy as his strings cried Mary and rang them like a ringin’ a bell, creating volcanic riffs to ricochet off of Weckl’s returns before producing a gritty take of “Red House” that had the band turn the upscale club into a low ceiling’d juke joint on the Chittlin’ Circuit. Only artists of this caliber can take a Hollywood crowd on a such a wide -ranging musical tour. Hope someone is recording these shows!
Upcoming shows at Catalina’s include Ron David McPhatter 12/2 and Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band 12/31