Night Scene: Poindexter's sax and jazz smokes up Naples nightlife

Tim Poindexter plays three saxophones, an alto, a tenor and a soprano. He has played some sort of saxophone for 39 years; 24 of those have been spent in Naples. Tim Poindexter also writes original songs for those saxophones, and nine of these will be on his new CD, "No Words."

Why is his fifth album titled this?

"Because there's no words," Poindexter explains.

(Ah ha. Musical people are funny.)

It is in those originals that you will hear Tim Poindexter shine, shine, shine. Best of all, when I caught Poindexter's performance at Pier 41 in Tiny City last weekend, it was his originals -- "Flinch and "Babyfyne" to name two -- that were met with the fiercest applause from his audience. I just can't like that enough.

Described by Poindexter as "contemporary jazz, smooth jazz," his stylish originals immediately rushed me back to the first time I heard David Sanborn's 1990 release "Close Up."

"Babyfyne," which Poindexter's wife named, has the feel of a romantic ode to somebody, with an ache or an appeal built right in. Or maybe it's just admiration. Whatever it is, it's emotional. And it almost didn't make it onto "No Words"; it became the final song on the CD at the suggestion of a friend, Poindexter says. Thank goodness.

"That song took me about 45 minutes to write," Poindexter says of "Babyfyne." "I was on my way home and bam, it just came to me."

But did I mention that he sings, too? No, I guess I didn't, and that's not entirely fair. Poindexter's voice is deep and velvety, breathing continued enjoyment into classics like the Hoagy Carmichael-composed, Ray Charles-immortalizing "Georgia on My Mind" or the James Taylor/Marvin Gaye "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)."

Poindexter is a ringer for Lou Rawls on "You'll Never Find," his low voice making you smile with recognition when you hear the first few words.

Then there's what he does with what can become a sensitive entertainment issue: How does he handle such vocal danger zones as yayas and whoos? So small, so momentary, they might not even matter to your music experience until you hear a badly-delivered one. And you will definitely know when you have.

	P.M. PATROL
	Tim "Boogie Head" Poindexter performs regularly at Pier 41 in Tin City on Saturday nights, beginning at 7 p.m. Other venues and times vary. He also performs for private events.

So, anyway, it all keeps coming back to the saxophone, doesn't it? After almost four decades of playing the instrument, one would expect it to do that.

Growing up in Raleigh, N.C., Poindexter says he was influenced by the Motown sound and other musicians of the era.

"Back then, it was all called soul music," he says. "That's what I grew up on. And that's where my roots are."

They were roots that took hold of him early, too, he says.

"I was one of those kids," he says, rapping on the Pier 41 bar with his fingers, "beating on the stuff and singing all around."

The act has refined itself since then, but it's still a jam.