The Last Brunch With Tommy Cecil

Tuesday, March 26, 2002; Page C04

Jazz musicians who perform for a brunch crowd know that discretion is the greater part of the job description. But as the Tommy Cecil Trio demonstrated Sunday at the Four Seasons in Georgetown, self-effacing music needn't be bland.

The trio has developed a splendid rapport and repertoire over the past decade and a half. Vintage pop and jazz tunes are the primary focus, with a welcome emphasis on romantic ballads and swing tunes that aren't heard nearly often enough. As the group moved through a low-key but highly lyrical performance, it quietly refreshed tunes as choice as "I Didn't Know What Time It Was," "This Year's Crop of Kisses," "Riverboat Shuffle," "Bill" and "Columbine."

The appealing themes were well served by the trio's finely honed interplay and a series of unfussy but not unsophisticated arrangements. Cecil, the well-known Washington bassist, helped established the intimate mood, favoring a warm tone and occasionally fashioning an elegant solo. Veteran clarinetist Wally Garner, an unusually fluid player, gracefully dipped in and out of his instrument's sumptuous low register while sustaining and subtly embellishing the melodies. The contributions made by pianist Larry

Eanet, another Washington jazz ace, were more subdued than usual but enriched the performances with flowing improvisations and harmonic nuance.

Alas, Sunday's brunch marked the trio's last performance at the hotel after a remarkable 16-year run. The management will be hard pressed to find a worthy successor.

-- Mike Joyce

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