This is why I love jazz…
I get to the club early to meet tenor sax legend Pharoah Sanders in order to get a “set list” from him for this review. He’s in his room sitting and fingering his sax with piano great Harold Mabern and his bandmates Joe Farnsworth/dr and Mike Gurrola/b. “I don’t know what we’re playing yet,” responds Sanders. “We’re just meeting together here for the first time and are rehearsing right now.”
I don’t see anyone actually practicing, but that’s the attitude of artists at this level. Mabern just came from a trio gig at the Blue Whale the night before; what does this evening portend?
The 90 minute show starts off with Mabern’s team, and they sizzle through an energetic take of “Fantasy” that has Mabern delivering ten forceful fingers of chords while Farnsworth and Gurrola gallop like wild stallions. Farnsworth’s mallets rumble under crystalline ivories as Mabern mixes Tyner and Garner together on “Daahoud,” creating some gorgeous moments, just in time for…
Pharoah Sanders to amble on stage to the chipper rhythm team bopping along to Farnsworth’s Romaine Lettuce crisp drumming to “You Say You Care.” Sanders unleashes a thick fog of sound that weaves like it came out of Aladdin’s Lamp. A vibrato as wide as the grand canyon is produced by the tenor saxist during a swooning “Naima” as Sanders does tricks with harmonies over Mabern’s rice pilaf of a piano serving as a soft bed, the piece ending with Sanders’ Selmer sighing.
Some rapid fire bop has Mabern’s block chords bouncing off the walls as Sanders produces fitted sheets of sound on the tightly wound “Ladybird.” Farnsworth produces sharp edges with a drum solo here, just before the team tears into a volcanic and passionate “The Creator Has A Master Plan” that has Sanders delivering a clarion call over the trio’s restless stampede.
Sanders then takes the packed house back to his R&B roots with a juke joint jumpin’ Bb blues with the tenor giant creating sounds ranging from field hollers to gospel shrieks as he blows into the bell of the horn for some otherworldly effects.
Just when you think the shows over, since everyone walks off the stage, Mabern stays behind and plays paddyfinger in the holy water digging deep into his gospel roots with soulful solo read of “Dat Dere.” Everything this evening seemed completely spontaneous, but with artists bathed in the blues, church and The Master’s Plan, it’s hard to go wrong!
Upcoming shows at Catalina’s include Manny’s Birthday Celebration with Cecilia Noel 06/15, Kiki Ebsen 06/19, Tierney Sutton 06/23-25 and Monty Alexander 07/10.