Music REview
Donny McCaslin Group
At Regattabar, Cambridge, Wednesday
CAMBRIDGE — Saxophonist Donny McCaslin paused one tune into his powerful, virtuosic two-hour set at Regattabar Wednesday to announce the name of the piece (“So Angry,’’ which he comically noted was inspired by a friend advising McCaslin to “write about how I was feeling’’) and set up the next one (as yet untitled, but “dedicated to someone who died recently who had a big impact on our lives — all of our lives.’’)
McCaslin didn’t name that someone, and didn’t need to. Everyone in the packed house seemed to know that the quartet had backed David Bowie on his final album, “Blackstar,’’ released on Bowie’s 69th birthday, two days before his death on Jan. 10.
Bowie’s spirit hovered over the set, which included a cover of the rock star’s “Warszawa’’ — with a recording of Bowie reflecting on mortality, extracted from a recorded interview, popping up near the end of the tune. McCaslin noted that Bowie was “not a diva at all,’’ but “humble’’ and “super funny.’’
Humility and humor are traits McCaslin shares, but it was the musicianship on display that demonstrated why Bowie chose this band. McCaslin has few peers among tenor saxophonists, recently earning his third Grammy nomination for a solo with Maria Schneider’s orchestra. Poking fun at himself, he noted that jazz icons Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter had beat him the first two times — but this year he could lose to 12-year-old piano phenom Joey Alexander.
Jason Lindner, seen recently at Scullers backing Anat Cohen, was featured on “No Eyes,’’ introduced by McCaslin with a quote from Chick Corea: “Jason Lindner is a musical universe.’’ The keyboardist proved it with the richly atmospheric sounds he conjured from his Prophet-6 synthesizer and the club’s piano. Drummer Mark Guiliana, a rising star, on his own projects and in collaborations with Brad Mehldau and Dave Douglas, played his lone solo late in the set, but effectively soloed during climaxes throughout the evening. On electric bass, Tim Lefebvre, back from touring with the Tedeschi Trucks Band, focused the grooves underpinning everything.
Fresh from a week at the Village Vanguard, the four were fully locked in at Regattabar, giving fusion a badly needed overhaul. “Henry,’’ for McCaslin’s 4½-year-old son, was a third new piece introduced, one of several penned since the Bowie collaboration for the quartet’s third album. It’s a shame Bowie won’t be around to hear it: “As you can see,’’ McCaslin told the crowd, “we do some crazy stuff up here, and he was totally into it.’’
Donny McCaslin Group
At Regattabar, Cambridge, Wednesday
Bill Beuttler can be reached at bill@billbeuttler.com.
