Quartet Draws Big End-of-Season Crowd 

Drummer Joe Barna showcased his playing, composing and band-leading chops Thursday at Jazz on Jay, presenting the free season’s 12th and final show before a sizable crowd. Many of the well-crafted originals in Barna’s 100-minute set flowed with straight-ahead momentum, but ballads, bebop, Afro-Cuban and Latin tunes provided spice.

Lanaea Brice, right, introduces Joe Barna’s Sketches of Influence, from left; David Gleason, keyboard; Jason Emmond, bass; Keith Pray, alto saxophone; Joe Barna, drums and composer.

They started with a rumba, for example; “Hittin’ the Mark,” a tribute to guitarist Mark Kleinhaut. Nearly every tune honored some special person or place in Barna’s life. He titled the straight-ahead “The Heights” for the Brooklyn neighborhood where Barna met the mother of his daughter Savina. 

Joe Barna

Its also the title of his latest (and seventh) album, dedicated to Savina. The final remaining copies sold out at the show; the rest sold on a recent tour following its release in June. Fan-friend Mabel Leon bought the last; Barna didn’t know this when he dedicated “Ivory Romance,” written as a tribute to Lee Shaw, to Leon.

Jason Emmond

In “The Heights,” Barna’s hi-hat became an energetic blur, pushing his quartet’s high-altitude riffs with relentless glee. Later in the show, the voluble Barna recounted his humbling recognition of the superb drummers surrounding him on his arrival in New York. Dissuaded from retreat by friends and his mother, Barna found his inspiration in the powerful Jeff “Tain” Watts (who played the Falcon last weekend, my fellow-photographer/writer/fan Rudy Lu reported). Barna said he tries to play “Tain”-style: recklessly, but controlled. His playing packed irresistible momentum, and he was dazzlingly precise.

Jason Emmond, bass; Keith Pray, alto saxophone

So was everybody: Alto saxophonist Keith Pray usually sketched the melody up front and directly as Barna, bassist Jason Emmond and keyboardist David Gleason set the beat. Pray or Gleason most often took the first solos; Gleason digging especially deep on anything Latin-y and Pray ruling in both the bop and ballad numbers. 

And the beat was tight, always. Emmond played mostly simple, accompanying lines; his tasteful economy working well with Barna’s aggressive style while Gleason was always ready with interjected accents and comments.

David Gleason

At the mic after “The Heights,” Barna warned, “I talk a lot;” a fan replied that’s part of his charm and Barna joked in surprised reply, “Now I have CHARM!?”

The music certainly did, showing as much warmth as invention and working well even if Barna had skipped the song dedications that made everything personal. Dedicated to Wes Montgomery, the playful “Wes Is More” surged up front, subsided in Gleason’s hands, but when he re-built it big, he wound up riffing precisely in time with Barna’s beats.

Barna announced they’d never played “The Moment” before, but in this smooth-flowing Afro-Cuban tribute to friend Gary Garabedian, Emmond’s bass break beautifully tossed the melody to Gleason. Always sharp on anything Latin, Gleason explored it intrepidly; then Pray played in parallel form, starting soft and slow and steadily building energy. 

“Ivory Romance” honored Lee Shaw whom Barna credited with suggesting an E-flat 7th chord. The guys went meditative in this thoughtful ballad, Gleason playing so lyrical-lovely that Barna paused the proceedings to urge applause.

The next number, dubbed “Du” or “14,” Barna was ambiguous on this, packed a syncopated bebop punch, and Pray wryly quoted “Without a Song” in his happy solo. 

Re-Drawn Sketches of Influence – From left, guest keyboardist Ian MacDonald, bassist Jason Emmond, alto saxophonist Keith Pray, drummer Joe Barna

Barna often emphasized community in his intros and calls for applause, and his bands draw other musicians to watch. He called pianist Ian MacDonald from the crowd to the bandstand for “Scott Free,” a melodic cousin to “Love for Sale.” Blithely nonchalant, MacDonald made some hot stuff look easy.

When Gleason reclaimed the keyboard, he did the same in “Scent of the City,” an upbeat bop number, turning the tune inside out, then push-repeating a riff as Emmond and Barna cut loose outside.

In maybe his most touching dedication, Barna introduced “Thinking of Reggie” by recounting that wheelchair-bound, oxygen-dependent fan’s three-hour, two-bus-ride journey from Schenectady to a Barna gig in Troy. This light-hearted waltz had both tenderness and engaging energy, Pray especially eloquent, sweet and strong.

Barna spoke of changes ahead in his career and approach; here’s hoping his next chapters bring confident, virtuoso, brash energy similar to what he played Thursday.

JAZZ HORIZONS

The final Jazz on Jay 2024 show Thursday by Barna and his Sketches of Influence quartet precedes the first A Place for Jazz show by just eight days. The Tim Olsen Big Band opens the AP4J season Friday, Sept. 6. A full preview posts early next week. Jazz at the Lake hits Lake George the following weekend, Sept. 13-15 – wrapping around Albany’s Riverfront Jazz Festival Sat., Sept. 14. That same night, WAMC’s The Linda presents Cliff Brucker & Full Circle featuring saxophonist Leo Russo, whose son Lee will also be aboard.

Barna’s Fall Into Jazz Festival in Troy’s Alias Coffee presents three bands Sept. 22, including Barna’s other band, of NYC stars. And the re-opened Van Dyck Music Club (upstairs from Stella Pasta Bar) presents JAZZ IS BACK! Capital Region All-Star Night at the Van Dyck, Sat., Oct. 5.