World saxophone quartet nails it

-- Karen A Brown

If I had to characterize the March 10 performance of the World Saxophone Quartet at the Walker Art Center’s McGuire Theater in a single world, it would be "mesmerizing."

The World Saxophone Quartet is a group of musicians who know and love their craft. The quartet began performing together as a group in 1976 and has been playing and recording together off and on with minimal changes in the line-up since.

The show kicked off with the quartet’s theme song, which they have been playing since the group’s inception. This song set the tone for the rest of the evening, sending a wave of music over the audience and causing them to holler out in appreciation.

The performance included the original members: David Murray on tenor saxophone, Oliver Lake on alto and soprano saxophones, and Hamiet Bluiett on baritone saxophone. The performance also featured special guest Greg Osby on alto and soprano saxophones. The quartet was joined by Jamaaladeen Tacuma on electric bass and Lee Pearson on drums.

This was my first visit to the Walker Art Center and its new McGuire Theater, and I must say I was impressed. The theater provided an intimate setting for the show and utilized all available space such that no one had a bad seat or a blocked view of the stage. The setting provided for the intimacy where one can appreciate good music, yet it contained a sound and lighting system that bestowed the right level of mood to enhance the experience.

While I was apprehensive about seeing a group of musicians attempt to do Jimi Hendrix on saxophones (of all things), I found myself amazed by their ability to showcase Hendrix’s intensity and heat with their instruments. The music played was not all Hendrix; there was a mixture of arrangements, including some by original member Murray. One arrangement in particular, done in honor of Hal "Cornbread" Singer, stood out in an evening awash in musical achievement. The stage, bathed in a tone of blue, was filled with the deepest of Blues so smooth, so infused with feeling, I was transfixed.

Though the performance really focused on and showcased the talent of the men behind the horns, I feel that just as much credit goes to their accompanying musicians, Tacuma and Pearson. Tacuma’s bass gave the music heart while Pearson suffused it with energy unrivaled by even the most frenetic rock concert.

The quartet offered two performances at the Walker Art Center on March 10 (7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.). I for one will be watching for their return.