Larry Rosen’s Jazz Roots series at the Arsht Center closed out the 2014-2015 season on Friday night with one of the most memorable shows of jazz musicality to hit the Knight Concert Hall stage. And that’s no exaggeration.
David Sanborn and Al Jarreau were on the bill with each having their own set. It was like seeing two distinctly satisfying concerts, both in the same night.
Saxophonist Sanborn, who told the audience he and his band had just returned from Europe, were in fine form. With a high note on improvisation, the feeling that hung in the air was that this was a show that had the same foundation as others on the tour, but with an originality spawned from amazing elements of spontaneity.
He opened with a cover of “Comin’ Home Baby,” tipping into the high register of the alto sax range without hesitation. While he’d wail on sax, his taut back up band would hang on the notes, waiting to see which way he was going next then pick up on the line to move the whole piece further.
Next, it was the homage to Ray Charles, "Brother Ray," with its bluesy undertow and the chance to show off the incomparable keyboardist Ricky Peterson adding a traditional sound with a mastery of the Hammond B3 organ.
"Maputo" was one of those smooth jazz hits, but so invitingly beautiful with Sanborn’s saxophone playing a lovely lead and bass and drums adding the tempo as the leader of the band climbed up and down the scale – then keyboard joined in, then guitar as everyone converged on cue for the melody.
Sanborn spoke little throughout the set but did share a story preceding his playing of an original composition, "Ordinary People."
“I watched two weeks of political shows on TV. They just talked and talked and as they talked I got angrier and angrier.” He said the song was inspired by the shows, but moreso by the people who work hard and pay taxes.
A low and haunting saxophone line played throughout giving the song from Sanborn’s new album "Time and the River" a bit of melancholy at the state of current affairs.
Sanborn allowed the talented band to each show off their musicianship, sitting down and letting each have their turn at solos. Electrifying drummer Chris Coleman was ultimately the standout in a rollicking solo that served to show off his precision and power. Guitarist Nick Moroch appeared low key but showcased guitar stylings from jazz to pure rock n‘ roll lead guitar. Bass guitarist Andre Berry brought with him a range of styles with his thumb-slapping on some of the funkier numbers and nimble bass on others.
After an intermission where Sanborn joined Jarreau for private photo opportunities in the green room, the Knight Concert Hall was ready for Jarreau and he was ready for the hall.
The lights dimmed and when they came up, Jarreau could be seen stage right microphone in hand and already singing. When the spotlight caught him, he was slowly making his way center stage, limping along with one hand perched on a cane. The 72 year old has had back problems since 2002 when he had emergency surgery to relieve compression on his spinal chord. He had more surgery on his spine in 2014.
The stage was set up with stools and chairs for Jarreau to sit and lean, yet after five songs into the set, his cane had been retired and Jarreau was walking slowly around the stage, interacting with his band members; his upper body more able to move to the beat than his weak legs.
While the first set with Sanborn was subdued, Jarreau’s set was anything but. “We’re going to fellowship tonight in here like a church,” he said. And while his voice wasn’t as strong as in his heyday, his vocal acrobatics had the notes coming from his mouth seem more like they were emanating from an instrument.
Those acrobatics were in fine form as he sang the title song his new album "My Old Friend" from the 2015 release, which is a celebration to legendary keyboardist George Duke.
Old favorite "We’re in this Love Together" became a singalong with the crowd as did the theme song to the mid-‘80s television romantic drama "Moonlighting" starring “what’s his name,” said Jarreau as a joke to the megastar that Bruce Willis would become.
In an odd moment, a fan in the audience walked from a mid-auditorium seat in the orchestra straight to the front of the stage and gave Jarreau a gift in a canvas bag. She then asked if she could sing a duet with the star. He handled the awkward situation like a pro by telling the woman that everyone in the auditorium would probably like to sing a duet with him. That was most likely true. While the ushers were quick to stop audience members from taking photos on their cell phones throughout the show, no one corralled the persistent fan in. She eventually took no for an answer from Mr. Jarreau, left the gift and returned to her seat.
A highlight of the evening was Jarreau sharing vocal somersaults with his bandmates in "Take 5" and the band showed off their instrumental skills in the song, too – Chris Walker on bass and Mark Simmons on drums, the Grammy nominated Larry Williams on keyboards and flute, and Jarreau’s musical director, the very peppy Joe Turano on saxophone, keyboards and backup vocals.
Jarreau promised a show that might outlast his audience. “I hope you brought your lunch.” When he came back for an encore, some of the audience had already hotfooted it up the aisle, but those that left missed something spectacular – Jarreau sang his tribute to Harry Belafonte a cappella – "Banana Boat (Day-O)" playing with the notes and going from deep bass to a high tenor. He had showed off his range all night and this was the cherry on top of the banana boat split. Then his band returned to send Jarreau out with a funky beat song that sampled George Clinton’s "We Got the Funk."
It was a night of sheer artistry from smooth jazz to blues to funk – the Sanborn-Jarreau bill was dy-no-mite.
