It's NBA finals time, and the some of the best plays are taking place off-court and on stage. Make that center stage as ex-roundball pro Wayman Tisdale shared top billing with Kirk Whalum for an evening of smooth grooves at the Aronoff Center Saturday night.

        Once a power forward, Mr. Tisdale now scores with his bass. His eight-song set was an equal mix of high energy and high jinks. Clearly Mr. Tisdale, backed by a tight seven-piece ensemble, was having the time of his life, and his enthusiasm was contagious as the diverse audience gave as good as they got.

        Mr. Tisdale's style of playing is deeply rooted in old-school funk, steeped in the Stanley Clark vein of full, thick notes. Not only is Mr. Tisdale a threat on the bass, but he also sings, composes (“Breakfast with Tiffani,” written for his daughter) and, if the mood suits him as it did at the Aronoff, plays the bass upside down behind his head.

        Standout tunes from Mr. Tisdale's set included “Washington High,” which features him in a duel of TV sitcom theme songs with reed man Tom Braxton; the Latin rhythms of “Brazilia” and a cover of the Seals & Croft chestnut “Summer Breeze.”

        An extended take on Earth Wind & Fire's “You Can't Hide Love” brought Kirk Whalum to the stage for a scorching finale to the first set.

        Saxophonist Mr. Whalum provided many of the evening's highlights, the first of which occurred when he attempted to reach the towering Mr. Tisdale's mike to acknowledge the bassist as he left the stage. Mr. Whalum is just 5 feet 6 tall with change.

        Mr. Whalum continued the friendly, comfortable banter and maintained the positive high-energy vibe. Many of the songs Mr. Whalum performed were original compositions, some from his latest release Unconditional, the title cut of which he played to open his set. Mr. Whalum was not content to play to the audience and walked throughout the orchestra level with his cordless mike as he played “Now Til Forever.”

        Mr. Whalum's program was a mix of pulsating funk tunes, airy romance and bouncing covers. But the climax of the night was the closer “Grover Worked,” a tribute to the late Grover Washington, that saw the return of Mr. Tisdale to the stage.

        The dynamic duo of Kombo opened the evening with an uptempo set that featured Ron Pedley on keyboards and guitar virtuoso Jon Pondel, who remained on stage throughout the evening to anchor the rhythm section.

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