JAZZ REVIEW : WOODY HERMAN FRONTS SEXTET

The good news is that Woody Herman, the indefatigable “road father,” is alive and well at the Vine St. Bar & Grill through Sunday night. The bad news is that at 72 Herman is but a shadow of his former musical self.

Somewhat worn out--out of tune, lacking ideas on the clarinet, and vocally void in musicianship and emotion--Herman has been reduced to an act whose every musical move can be appreciated only from a nostalgic perspective.

When protected in a big-band context, Herman can keep his current weaknesses barely detectable. But in the sextet setting at Tuesday’s opening in Hollywood, his flaws stood out like sore thumbs.

Herman is best appreciated as a catalyst who brought to the fore such extraordinary events as the “Four Brothers” and whose appreciation of be-bop gave new life to a waning big-band era. But little of that record was in evidence when he fronted--not led--Tuesday night’s pickup band.

The band was in fine shape, despite an obvious lack of rehearsal. Pianist Ross Tompkins, bassist John Heard and drummer Jake Hanna kept things cooking while trumpeter Jack Sheldon and tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper provided jazz integrity to the evening.

“Woodchoppers Ball,” “Perdido” and “Lemon Drops” were fine swing tunes with great solos by Sheldon and Tompkins. Similarly, “We’ll Be Together Again” was a superb ballad effort by Cooper.