Mr Jones' offsider

Eric Ajaye hosted a Q&A with bassist Gene Perla at the end of his concert for the Jazz Haus at Tuggeranong Arts Centre and my ear particularly picked up at the mention of Mingus.  Amongst some questions about his technique, GP mentioned Mingus' influence after attending his gig.  As I understood it, it was to play more freely over the neck, more freely over positions.  I had noticed frequent playing of the E-string right up the neck, the use of longer intervals and 11th hand shapes in walking, an ease in all positions; John B mentioned the spaces left in walks.  GP advised to avoid open strings, presumably to promote this neck freedom up the neck and regardless of keys.  I'm not so sure of that one.  And one interesting quote caught my attention: "If I hear you, you're messing up [=not in the pocket].  I need to pay attention to me".  But this is bass chatter.  The music was a revisit to the classic Live at the Lighthouse album from the Elvin Jones band (Elvin Jones, Gene Perla, Steve Grossman, Dave Liebman), so hard bop, driving tunes, passed solos, some delicious harmonies on originals by all and more.  It was too loud at first but Gene insisted on a quieter bass in set 2 and the concert came alive to my ears.  Suddenly the piano was always there, the bass was more acoustic-toned although via the amp and easier to follow, the drums were more subdued and the two tenors clearer and more intimate in interactions.  Quite an amazing change.  But it was always going to be a hard-blown outing.  They played a range of hard bop tunes and two standards.  I drooled over some glorious harmonised written parts between the two tenors and great solos, Roger all range and light, flighty tone and beautiful lines and Andy just unrelenting hard eighth-note blowing , driving and expansive drumming from Mark, big sounding, full handed accompaniment and solos from Brett and of course that wonderful presence and drive from Gene, all over the fingerboard, always intriguing and personal and often referring the Elvin Jones band that I knew.  There were chats I would have liked to have with Gene but no luck, but to hear him remains educative, sometime breathtaking, just as Eric Ajaye was suggesting.  Truth is, we never spot learning.  I did a webinar just yesterday and they spoke of the same thing, that instruments demand this endless improvement, this time noting it can interfere with other paths in music, here,  the perfect pop song.  All paths, all valid I reckon.  But what a huge pleasure to see and hear these formative musicians in the flesh.  Oh, and one absurdist glasswork from an exhibition at TAC.

Gene Perla and band played music from the album Elvin Jones Live at the Lighthouse at the Jazz Haus at Tuggeranong Arts Centre.  Gene Perla (bass) led the band with Roger Manins and Andy Sugg (tenors), Brett Williams (piano) and Mark Sutton (drums).