Saxophonist Hamilton Offers an Eclectic, Original Sound

Tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton is a musical anachronism. At a time when post-World War II bebop is the common model of choice for most jazz players, young and old, Hamilton, 42, happily follows his own muse. Mixing bits and pieces of swing, bop, even a trace or two of New Orleans style into his playing, he is one of the few real originals on the contemporary jazz scene.

Working at the Jazz Bakery Wednesday night with a solid quartet that included pianist Dave McKenna as co-headliner, with Dave Carpenter, bass, and Jake Hanna, drums, Hamilton accomplished the unusual task of making jazz look easy. His relaxed style, his complete command of his instrument, his total familiarity with a wide repertoire of material made everything he played flow with a quality that was--for the listener--both accessible and intriguing.

There were times when Hamilton surged forward with the drive, even the floating sound, of a Zoot Sims, only to reach down into the guts of his horn for the dark sensual tones of a Ben Webster. His command of chord changes was reminiscent of Don Byas, and his occasional blues-tinged articulation recalled Lucky Thompson. Yet this grab-bag of influences in no way minimized Hamilton’s own originality. Like a kaleidoscope of different colors and shapes, his playing had a constantly changing feeling, always appropriately slanted for the tune under consideration.

Equally appealing, Hamilton didn’t waste time with wandering, improvisational excursions through unproductive territory. Many of his solos--on standards such as “Willow Weep for Me,” “What Am I Here For?” and “Lullaby of the Leaves”--were brief, even epigrammatic, but always precisely to the point. Hamilton’s most appealing quality, in fact, may have been his capacity to quickly locate and stay with the essence of a tune.

McKenna’s playing, in addition to providing attractive backing for Hamilton, was similarly focused. A generation older than Hamilton, McKenna, 67, is a veteran artist with the ability to peel away the superficialities of improvisation in favor of deep-layered, but hard-swinging, variations on the original.

Carpenter and Hanna, both world-class accompanists, laid down a subtle, but irresistible rhythm flow, with Carpenter adding a few fleet solos, and Hanna demonstrating that it is possible to make superior music with only the most rudimentary of drum kits.

* The Scott Hamilton/Dave McKenna Quartet at the Jazz Bakery through Sunday. 3233 Helms Ave., (310) 271-9039. $20 admission tonight and Saturday, 8:30 p.m., and Sunday, 8 p.m. $18 admission tonight and Saturday, 10:15 p.m., and Sunday, 6 p.m.