Patrons of the Perry Fine Arts concert series heard a skillful set of 14 jazz, Latin and funk standards Sunday when the Central Iowa Jazz Combo played at the Perry Performing Arts Center.
The jazz quartet is composed of Steve O’Brien on saxophone, Dave Swenson on guitar, F. Michael Miller on bass and Paul Navara on drums, and they provided some choice passages in their two 45-minute sets.
O’Brien and Swenson were the melody makers in the foursome. O’Brien’s soprano saxophone solos on Miles Davis’ “All Blues” were inspired, and he had the house swinging on Duke Ellington’s “Take the A Train.”
Swenson arpeggios on “My Funny Little Valentine” were very tasteful, and he rang his guitar like a bell on the Commodores’ “Put It Where You Want It.”
The rhythm section of Miller on bass and Navara on drums provided a solid foundation for the improvisational lines of horn and guitar by turns, but the beat keepers had their chances to unbend as well. Miller delivered a virtuosic solo on Weather Report’s “Birdland,” for instance, and Navara’s transitions between samba and swing rhythms in “Green Dolphin Street” were superb.
With an audience of 45, each person attending received a large share of pleasure from the high-energy combo.
The next Perry Fine Arts event will be a performance by the Des Moines Metro Opera on Friday, April 8. The vocalists will sing selections from “Rusalka: The Littlest Mermaid” for the Perry Elementary School third graders at 2 p.m., and the evening performance at 7 p.m. in the Perry Performing Arts Center will feature a number of beloved arias.
