Jazz Reviews : Old Pro, Student Big Bands at the Wadsworth

It was David and Goliath time Sunday evening when two big bands faced off in the latest “Jazz at the Wadsworth” concert.

Stage left was the New American Jazz Ensemble, an ad-hoc splinter group drawn from the ranks of the New American Orchestra, directed by Jack Elliot. Stage right, alternating with that group, was Daijobu, directed by George Stone, consisting mainly of students from Cal State Northridge and Cal State Los Angeles, most of them in their 20s.

If the unknown ensemble had a certain edge, this was due in large part to its generally more adventurous charts, its remarkable precision and a couple of promising soloists, most notably Gene Burkert on flute in a charming arrangement of Clare Fischer’s “Pensativa,” and later on alto saxophone. These musicians exuded the spirit of youth, whereas the NAJE reflected the security of maturity.

Evidently the student band had had time to prepare its music; the older musicians, virtually a pickup band, had had only one rehearsal, and occasionally it showed, especially in a sluggish treatment of a fine old Quincy Jones tune, “Stockholm Sweetenin’.”

Still, there were enriching moments on both sides. The elders displayed fine sax teamwork in Al Cohn’s arrangement of “Cottontail.” Stone’s saxes did even better in his own arrangement of “It Could Happen to You.”

You couldn’t quite say that David slew Goliath, since the youth ensemble was here at Elliot’s invitation and the two groups teamed up for a fortissimo finale.

Earlier, Bud Shank on alto and Bill Perkins on tenor, both members of the Elliot Reed team, played an agreeable quintet set with Tom Rainier on piano, Sherman Ferguson on drums and John Leitham on bass. (In the big band Sol Gubin took over on drums and Al McKibbon was the bassist.)

The two-saxophone front lines blended well as Shank and Perkins offered a few selections from their recent album, with Shank in buoyant form and Perkins a little less composed, though his one number on soprano sax came across with more of the necessary brio. The set was dedicated to the memory of the late Richard Bock, who had produced many albums with both men and who died last month.