Hot Improvisation Is the Sphere of Expertise for This Ensemble

It’s not often that one has the opportunity to hear a mature group of jazz players, at the peak of its powers, working together with sheer symbiotic enthusiasm. But that rare opportunity is present this week at Catalina Bar & Grill via the performances of Sphere, a certifiable all-star ensemble featuring saxophonist Gary Bartz, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Ben Riley.

On Tuesday night, in its opening set, the quartet actually seemed a bit disconnected for the first few numbers--not a particularly serious problem, given Sphere’s usual high level of performance. But there was an atypical unevenness in a few of the pieces, alleviated here and there by some sterling individual playing.

On the opening “If I Should Lose You,” for example, Riley’s work with brushes was a model of drum accompaniment . In a follow-up blues number, “Uncle Bubba,” Barron stepped forward, playing one of his characteristic history-of-jazz solos, tossing in bits and pieces of bebop and stride, and adding an unexpected bit of spice by winding up with some locked-hand chording.

But it wasn’t until the group moved into Thelonious Monk’s “Evidence” (curiously, the only Monk tune in the set for a band originally founded in tribute to, and named after, the late pianist-composer) that Sphere came together as a completely integrated musical entity. The results were extraordinary.

Not only was the individual soloing superb, but the ensemble work, the spontaneous, even joyous, interaction between the players was astounding. Playing with the empathetic understanding of a veteran classical string quartet, Sphere revealed the captivating beauty of improvisational jazz at its very best.

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* Sphere at Catalina Bar & Grill through Sunday. 1640 N. Cahuenga Blvd., (213) 466-2210. $16 cover tonight at 8:30 and 10:30; $18 cover Friday, Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m.; $16 cover Friday, Saturday at 10:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9 p.m.