Liebman’s high-energy class act

Saxophonist Dave Liebman’s first-class jazz skills are matched by an equally enviable work ethic. One of the busiest players on the contemporary scene, he also is in demand as a jazz educator and has written several pedagogical music books.

The engine driving all that is Liebman’s playing, which has figured prominently in groups led by Elvin Jones, Chick Corea and -- most notably -- Miles Davis, as well as his own numerous ensembles. On Wednesday at the Jazz Bakery, Liebman made one of his relatively rare Southland appearances, this time leading a quartet that also included guitarist Vic Juris, bassist Tony Marino and drummer Marko Marcinko. The most fascinating aspect of the group’s high-voltage set was the balance between careful craftsmanship and wide-open imagination.

The fulcrum of music, drawn from several recent albums, rested on the back-and-forth interaction between Liebman’s high-flying saxophones (alternately soprano and tenor) and Juris’ fluid guitar. Moving easily from funk accents and straight-ahead blowing to edgy, free-jazz spontaneity, the pair roved adventurously through a musical landscape filled with references to a range of post-bop styles.

Marino and Marcinko added a roiling, percussive flow of rhythm, enhanced by the drummer’s capacity to trigger Jones-like intensity without falling into sheer bombast.

The climactic number in a constantly engaging musical set was “My Favorite Things” -- an obvious tribute to John Coltrane, whom Liebman often cites as a key inspiration. Juris brought a transformative quality to the song with a kind of postmodern deconstruction of the familiar melody in his opening theme statement. Liebman, continuing the intensely focused efforts that characterized his playing throughout the program, offered a set of improvised variations spinning off a Coltrane foundation into a freely flowing, unique musical architecture.

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Dave Liebman Quartet

Where: The Jazz Bakery, 3233 Helms Ave., L.A.

When: Today-Sunday, 8 and 9:30 p.m.

Price: $25

Contact: (310) 271-9039