JAZZ REVIEW : George Cables: Protean Pianist

Exhibiting the panache that has long made him a favorite with jazz audiences, pianist George Cables led his trio through several stellar renditions during his second set at the Biltmore Hotel’s Grand Avenue Bar on Tuesday.

Building off a never-faltering rhythmic platform provided by bassist Tony Dumas and drummer Ralph Penland, Cables--a former Los Angeles resident who now lives in the Bay Area--played with a crispness and spirit that almost seemed tangible.

The opener, Blue Mitchell’s “Fungi Mama,” had a Caribbean flavor and in his solo, Cables produced fluid ideas that came forth as melodically as if he were singing. In investigating Monk’s “Blue Monk,” the pianist never lost sight of the tune’s original sense and feel, and he even mirrored some of the composer’s individual swagger--particularly with bright, shiny chords. But he put his mark on it, too, with glancing, shimmering lines.

The ballads were “Someone to Watch Over Me,” played unaccompanied, and “Easy Living,” which went from a serene beginning to a solidly swinging middle mood, and featured a Cables bridge that was as full of color as a spring bouquet. Dumas’ solo here was elegant and graceful.

The closing “Quiet Fire” was an exhilarating explosion that included an in-the-pocket Penland spotlight and that roared to its climactic finish. Cables’ performance again demonstrated that he is one of the prime exponents of the modern idiom.