At Almario Tribute, He Does the Honors

Saxophonist Justo Almario received a much-deserved tribute Sunday night at the Ford Amphitheatre when Jazz Pilgrimage 2002, a production of the Hollywood Arts Council, selected the Colombian-born jazz artist as its honoree of the year.

Almario, clearly moved by the award, responded with an extraordinary display of musicianship, performing in a small jazz group, with Tolu (the stirring Latin jazz band he leads with drummer Alex Acuna) and taking the lead role in the salsa-tinged sounds of the Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars.

His versatility was remarkable. Playing alto saxophone on a supercharged rendering of “I’ll Remember April,” Almario was an improvisational whirlwind. Tossing out bebop licks, whipping across his instrument from top to bottom, propelling the music forward with an inexorable sense of swing, he was a consummate straight-ahead jazz artist.

When he was joined by Acuna and his fellow members of Tolu, the emphasis shifted somewhat, retaining a firm connection with jazz but adding Latin-tinged call-and-response patterns over a surging caldron of rhythm, enlivened by the guest-star presence of last year’s Jazz Pilgrimage honoree, percussionist Francisco Aguabella.

Almario once again took the lead, urging the crowd to join in a vigorous version of the title tune from the band’s new album, “Bongo de Van Gogh.” Adding flute and tenor saxophone to his arsenal, his playing thoroughly affirmed his belief in the potentially seamless connections that can be made between the music and rhythms from across North and South America.

The Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars, initially organized for a one-time-only outing by DJ Jose Rizo, have quickly emerged as one of the Southland’s most popular Latin jazz ensembles.

Their appeal is clearly heightened by the fact that the group’s musical director, trombonist Francisco Torres, maintains an irresistibly danceable foundation for many of the pieces.

That was not the case for their opening number, a version of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Bebop,” filled with the sort of explosive brass passages and fiery soloing--from Almario, Torres and Acuna--that surely would have pleased the trumpet great.

By the time the All-Stars set wound to a close, however, salsa rhythms had taken over, much to the pleasure of the numerous audience members who were dancing in the aisles.

And, even here, revealing yet another facet of his talents, Almario soloed in a fashion that kept the jazz elements of the music alive and the crowd happily in action.