Late night art

 

It was a latish night, late informed, run to the National Gallery and our new and most expensive art work.  It was an opportune outing, actually, and much enjoyed,  not so much for the art work itself, but for the late night crew that congregated there.  I have watched the conversation on this and I feel just a little informed having seen the perforated egg outside the SA Gallery, by the same artist and I think purchased under the same director.  Putting aside the price and thinking what could have been otherwise, I enjoyed the sight at night, lonely as it was, with first up a photographer with his tripod, then another photographer who talked of photographing the security guard, then the security guard himself, then an author.  Otherwise the night was cool and still and the traffic was limited.  I heard of a probable threatened graffiti job on the work by 2 blokes who sounded a little threatening, and how the police were there at very short notice (apparently several cars are located in the Parliamentary Triangle overnight so no surprise there).  And what the 12-hour shift is like and how Canberra is a wonderful, different, educated place.  So true.  And later chatting with Daniel O'Malley about his published sci-fi trilogy starting with The Rook while I promoted my album to be released the next day and thus art breathes art.  Back to Ouroboros.  It was a pretty sight at night, but I was surprised by the rough welds and jagged cuts and obvious internal cabling especially given the regaled hours of work involved, but maybe it's inevitable with stainless steel?  I dunno.  Would I have made that choice?  Well, I wasn't on the Committee but probably I wouldn't have but I am no expert.  I wouldn't have bought the tram, either.  I wonder if those who like the Turrell pyramid would also like the Ouroboros (and maybe light rail).  Neither are bad but I don't particularly like either: they seem to me to be simple ideas expensively created by people other than the artist.  But maybe LL defined the location and size of every hole so there are complexities I don't realise and then I think of Blue Poles and how we are so proud of it now and how that story is similar.  Or maybe I am just a laggard given my claimed collection favourite is a German Renaissance triptych despite enjoying much else when I visit.  Whatever and  regardless of the art, I certainly enjoyed the late night visit and the people I met there.

The Ouroboros by artist Lindy Lee is in a public space at the National Gallery of Australia.

Battling orchs

It was a night of big but very diverse sounds.  First up a considerable classical orchestral concert by the ANU Orchestra, long enough to deserve an interval.  A few very popular pieces but also somethings new.  Mozart Symphony no.40 Gmin is everybody's but still a great, inviting work.  There were a few movements of concerti, one of clarinet by Weber and the first movement of the famed Elgar cello concerto.  There was a Glanville Hicks Sinfonia de Pacifica which sounded more Asian than islander to my ears and Megan's and an original by a current student, Bartholomew Bunk Alpha and Omega.   I liked this one, clear in intent and capably conventional in structure and obvious in stating the start and end, the alpha and omega.  And a few short but massively popular heavyweights, Copland Fanfare for the common man, with the brass up and behind our heads and the strings looking from stage to upper gallery, and Sibelius Finlandia to end.  A concert of considerable depth but popularity and nicely played with lines clearly expressed if a little reticent at times; nothing unexpected.  Then off to the Athenaeum for a further hour with wines in hand and the chance to clapping the solos with the ANU Jazz Orchestra under Greg Stott.  First up were a few latins and sambas and an interesting contemporary tune nicely using bass bowing at one stage and into standards with vocals, Somewhere over the rainbow and Night and day and an end with Dizzy Gillespie Manteca.  Decent solos and particularly interesting from the percussion/drums section and some lovely, satisfyingly sharp and meaty ensemble work and one deep bari solo which was well done but will always amuse regardless.

A night out in Llewellyn with the ANU Orchestra under Rowan Harvey-Martin and the ANU Jazz Orchestra under Greg Stott.

no.9 no.9

The Pots album no.9 is released today, 25 October, on Spotify, YouTube, Apple etc and my fave Bandcamp.  The title is Indulgences and it aptly features a somewhat decrepit angel on the cover.  The reference?  "The damnably bad government is gone but its replacement has little imagination and small ambitions. So what to write about? That's the challenge and, thus, forgive the indulgences".  Six tunes of which two with lyrics; five from my hand and one fabulous Bach counterpoint to settle the journey.  Please have a listen.  The full album is streamed on most sites.  Special thanks to Annabel who innocently prompted this new album.

Indulgences / The Pots is the ninth album by The Pots. Have a listen...

The Pots on ...

• Bandcamp > https://thepots1.bandcamp.com/
• Spotify > https://tinyurl.com/2p9252z4
• YouTube > https://tinyurl.com/ym2zj9t5
• Amazon Music > https://tinyurl.com/ssp43jv4
  

Also on Apple Music and many other streaming sites

In the meantime, I got a press release for the launch of Remind Me Not To Forget / Tamara Murphy and The Golden Tone Retrievers released 18 Oct 2024.  Just for fellow bassist Tamara I promised to mention the launch here.  So .... Featuring Tamara (bass, vocals) with Fran Swinn and Theo Carbo (guitars) and Maddison Carter (drums).  Not strictly jazz but heavily jazz influenced pop/rock/electronica/folk. Launch gig (for those in Melbourne) is at Northcote Social Club, 1pm, Sun 27 Oct.  Best of luck, Tamara.

New faces

There was a time when I knew all the faces at the Jazz School.   They used to have plenty of events in the band room for smaller groups and the three large ensembles Recording Ensemble, Big Band and Commercial Band, and various gigs for smaller bands including staff and occasional visitors doing workshops.  Then there were the ructions and I also did more playing, jazz and classical, so was less available.  But I was surprised how many new faces there were at the Jazz and Contemporary Ensembles concert in the Band Room.  New faces and new names and a few that I knew from Molly or Smiths.  Nice to see.  Nice to hear, too.  There were five groups under the auspices of various staffers, Con, Lachlan (x2), John and the Recording Ensemble under Miro and John, ranging in size from 7-14 and in experience, 2 x 1st year, 2 x 3rd year and the Recording Ensemble which I assume is open by audition.  I enjoyed it throughout the ranges but obviously the groups get more adventurous and practiced with more years.  I also liked that there was so much inviting music and such a surfeit of vocals and harmonies.  The first group had concentrated on Joe Henderson and there was a lovely Lush life with the words to elucidate the heartache of the music.  Lyrics can be a key to me.  Then the next with several Stevie Wonder tunes, opening with the inevitable Sir Duke with three-part female harmonies, and then a few deeper ballads and a final Isn't she lovely.  The second ballad was Softy (as in the morning sunrise) in a deep 5/4 groove. Then the third group opening with There will never be another you with paired female vocals the finishing with an odd but intriguingly slow rendition of Well you needn't.  OI think it was this one that spoke of the soloistic approach, not too bull-at-gate but more considered.  Then the fourth with Invitation and Wayne Shorter.  And finally what must be the feature of the night, the Recording Ensemble playing a funky Les McCann Compared to what and finishing with a thrilling take on Joshua Redman Jazz crimes of many harmonies and challenging, changing melodies.  What a thrill to go out on!  I'd recognised various faces, Pete and Mereki and Elisha and Aidan and Oliver and Oliver and Jamie and perhaps some others and saw new notable faces and basses.  Several Fenders of course and a Melbourne mini double and a Stingray and a lovely fretless and Peter's unique Ibanez.  He'd told me he was playing a 7-string but no way I expected the Ibanez creation that he played, incorporating 3-string fretless with 4-string fretted.  It was the Ibanex Ashula SRAS7: only from Ibanez.  Fascinating.  So much enjoyed with new faces and a few other discoveries.

The Jazz and Contemporary Ensembles concert was in the Band Room at ANU and featured 5 bands and students of various years along with the Recording Ensemble.  My apologies to any I missed in the pics.

Forza Italia

Wesley is hosting a few visiting international pianists of late and I am lucky to be hearing and recording them.  This one was a work of wonder.  All from memory.  Bach Italian Concerto Fmaj and Liszt La Sonnambula de Bellini and a Scarlatti fugue as an encore but perhaps most spectacularly, two C20th century Italian composers that Andrea Molteni has recorded: Luiga Dallapiccola and Goffredo Petrassi.  From the first notes of Bach you could feel this was different, clear and sharp and precise and never a hesitation, at least if not consciously chosen.  Just stunning, convincing playing.  I could understand why he managed a quote from Ashkenazy on his home page.  But the tunes from Dallapiccola and Petrassi.  Andrea has recording 3 albums including the complete works of these two composers.  And they were fascinating.  Contemporary, edgy rhythmic contortions, mighty dynamics, diverse harmonies, but also attractive, fascinating and essentially musical.  Not all contemporary music feels that.  Andrea has travelled widely in Europe and Asia and is playing various Australian cities and the Brisbane Music Festival and will return for a longer concert at Wesley 7pm, 1 Nov: recommended.  Just fascinating and seductive to be quite so exact.  A stunner.

Andrea Molteni (piano) performed Bach, Scarlatti, Liszt and Italian contemporary composers Luiga Dallapiccola and Goffredo Petrassi at Wesley.

Eight seasons

It cost me a gig but it was a worthy substitute.  This was the strings from the Canberra Symphony Orchestra directed by concertmaster (sic) Kristen Williams playing the famous Vivaldi Four Seasons interleaved with Piazzolla's response.  We all know various of the themes from Vivaldi and if I heard right, the Piazzolla was a direct response to Vivaldi and anyway we know the popular tango-styled Piazzolla tunes out of Buenos Aires.  It was a popular program and obviously considered apt for lots of young ones, although the ones near us didn't seem particularly interested, but so be it.  It's good to get them along and they were old enough just to fidget rather than cry.  I was surprised that each Vivaldi season had 3 movements.  I should have known, but I wasn't the only one, with the first movement of each season getting a good applause. It was usually the feature movement anyway.  The playing was lovely, rich and full and unusually big.  This was the strings of the CSO so I guess there were more players who would normally play this piece, certainly more than baroque groups usually sport, like AHE or ACO.  I counted 8xvln1, 6xvln2, 5xvla, 4xclo, 2xbs, plus the director-cum-soloist on violin, so it was a big sound and it neatly filled Llewellyn, which can be cavernous for smaller groups.  I enjoyed the playing and was convinced by the take the Piazzolla.  CSO is doing plenty of varied programs now.  I guess this is the first strings section that I know of.  BTW, two basses on stage even if only one in the program, Kyle and Emma.

The Canberra Symphony Orchestra strings played Four seasons by Vivaldi and Piazzolla at Llewellyn under Kristen Williams (violin solo, director).  Low enders were Kyle Ramsey-Daniel and Emma Meixner (basses).

Bar, afters

Upstairs from Smiths is McGregor Hall, a concert venue, an art gallery and a bar-cum-performance room.  I'd seen Dirk listening in on Federico Casagrande and also noted a double bass in a bag on the stage in the bar before that gig so I was not at all surprised that Flynn was playing with a trio in the bar.  It was just a small event, but the bar is a pleasant place and the playing was capable.  We weren't staying but I got to hear a few solos on standards.  This was tenor, bass and piano from some of our youngest local players: Flynn with Evan and Arland.  Nicely spelled out solos expressing the changes; much enjoyed if only a tune or two.  I must say I was amused by Evan's copious head of hair that cascaded over his face in solos.  I had hair of similar length in my hippy days but straight with nothing like his curly profusion.  Now it's just grey...  Enjoy it while you can!

Flynn Marcus (tenor), Evan Teece (bass) and Arland Shaw-Crocker (piano) performed in the upstairs bar above Smiths.

Paris and the Dolomites

In many ways I didn't quite know what to expect from this gig.  It was a last minute thing, given we had arranged a dinner but then Andrew an Collette attend jazz so they were amenable changed plans for an early dinner and a guitarist at Smiths.  And James had some impressive CDs with Federico so was promoting the gig.  Even the room was new.  This was in McGregor Hall, the upstairs performance space for Smiths and in the end Nigel was running both rooms and the bar upstairs.  Despite dinner we were early and interrupted Federico warming up, but all was well.  The turnout was too small, despite support from the Italian Embassy, and that Federico was playing at Brisbane and Melbourne Jazz Festivals and had won a guitar award at the Montreux Jazz Fest with George Benson heading the jury and attended  Berkley on a scholarship and graduated summa cum laude.  And James doesn't give faint praise so I expected something good, even if not in a band context.  Federico was playing a white strat with an extra pickup and a neatly arrange semicircle of effects and pedals in front of him and headphones  for monitoring.  From the start, this was intriguing and beguiling and wonderfully fluid.  Layers of lengthy loops laid down so subtly that you almost didn't notice the development.  That extra pickup was to feed the low E-A strings to an octaver for bass lines, often simple 1-5s or outlining long and complex harmonic structures, that got added to with repeating riffs or chords or moving arpeggiations then perhaps another layer and a melody or solo with the whole so mellifluous that the role of melody or solo was unobtrusive, just musical.  A sound that was edgy and alive, perhaps high gain, demanding of consistent fingering technique, all finger-picked throughout.  Given the small audience and a few musicians and followers we got chatting, on stage and off, so the distance just disappeared and the musical purpose became all.  Chats of jazz and classics, technical and artistics, emotions and intellect, mates in Paris, jazz training in Sienna.  Federico is Italian, from Treviso, living in Paris, having a strong connection with the Dolomites.  James knew him from recordings with Steve Swallow and Enrico Pieranunzi and more.  He stunned me at times with richly varied harmonic movements playing with long intervals and scalar snippets, malleable structures, unusual and intriguing, spidery fingering laying out fascinating melodic movements, and that constant variation of tones and layers, busy but subtle.  We'[d discussed jazz as standards and bop so he dropped in a very broadly imagined version of Stella that only became obvious after several minutes, and then a take on the Sound of silence.  All in this new space/old room with a nice little column PA and a balcony and too small an audience.  A fabulous but also deeply inviting event.  Thanks to all who took part and obviously, especially, to Federico.

Federico Casagrande (guitar, effects, loops) performed solo at McGregor Hall, above Smiths.

Released

I've worked with Alan Hinde and Stuart Long for many months to achieve this album and then I was in Japan when the release happened.  Too bad but unavoidable in the circumstances.  Nonetheless we remain pretty chuffed with the outcome.  Alan is a composer and has released considerable music before.  This album comprises the first 12 of 24 preludes in all the major and minor keys, plus one added tune.   Another album is coming (mostly already written) with the remaining 12 preludes/keys.  Stuart performed the preludes and I recorded, mixed and mastered.  The delay was a function of Stuart's time to practice the tunes amongst his other matters.  And they were not all so easy; some were positively challenging.  But they came into being, the CDs have been printed, the preludes are in the process of being made available as printed music and the recorded versions are about to be distributed to a music-hungry world.  Perhaps a music-hungry world with a surfeit of calories.  CDs are available from Alan and the album will soon be available on the various streaming services.  Check it out.  Stuart describes Alan as our local Chopin and he's the one who'd know.  A lengthy and satisfying project. 

Water Works (album) is a series of 12 preludes (and an additional odalisque) composed by Alan Hinde (composer), performed by Stuart Long (piano) and recorded by Eric Pozza (mix/master).

Yamaha workout

Stuart Long appeared at Wesley with a collection of melodic gems.  Thus was the concert entitled.  It was a forceful grouping, played with plenty of energy and dynamics.  First up Beethoven with Andante favori, apparently a second movement that was too long for his Waldstein Sonata.  Attractive as ever.  Then Grieg Piano sonata E min op.7.  Stuart explained this is unusual as a longer piece by Grieg, comprising four movements and interestingly featuring his initials (E,H[=Bb],G) as the first notes of the first movement and also appearing otherwise through the work.  Memories of the Bach motif.  Then two nocturnes by Faure with notable melodies.  Stuart is committed and strong in his playing and no less here.  This was handfulls of volume and massive presence.  The Yamaha C6 got a solid workout.  Loved it.  And note the mics.  Paul turned up and we ended up with 3 stereo recordings for comparisons.  Fascinating for some!

Stuart long played Beethoven, Grieg and Faure at Wesley.

Blowout

I love a big band especially when it's a bit modern and challenging.  This was two BBs, or at least Jazz Orchestras, from the ANU School of Music: the students and the mates.  The students started the night.  They were not just students; the band is open to ANU students and staff more broadly.  But this was not just the old swingers, as lovely as they can be.  They started with Havana, then a Samba, then a string of tunes including the Nelson Riddle arrangement of Night and day for Frank Sinatra and finishing on Dizzy Gillespie Manteca.  So a lively and latin tinged set.  Some nice solos through the group, some movements within the percussionists and drummer, and singer Evie sitting in for two swingers.  Then a break and Greg's mates and drummer son, called the Test Pilot Big Band.  Both bands were directed by  Greg Stott and Greg played guitar for his TPBB.  He introduced the band as friends he could make a call on and there were plenty of recognisable faces.  What friends!  This was an exciting and wonderfully capable, driving band.  The life and energy and confidence and chops were just thrilling.   The tunes were mostly originals by Greg early on then later, when singer Steve Amosa sat in, they were covers, R&B, Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and the like.  A singalong to Donny Hathaway had us joining in and clapping and otherwise just heavy grooving to some great solos and steady driving grooves and pretty sharp written lines.  Nice.  Great music and great playing, but also just infectious fun.  Loved this gig!

Greg Stott (conductor, guitar) led the ANU Jazz Orchestra and the Test Pilots Big Band performed at Smiths.

Clarity

It's not the most common instrument in Canberra or at least I don't see it too often, but I seem to have a few mates taking it up.  Perhaps because of the influence of a (the?) local master, Anton Wurzer.  I've watched Anton over the years, playing jazz, improvising, classical, with harpsichord or even my jazz band at one stage.  A return as a huge pleasure.  Anton played for a Wesley lunchtime concert, all his own music, all sharp and sweet and superbly accurately played, ranging over samba, cha-cha, waltz, bal-musette, through a groove written to promote improv amongst local accordion players, about relatives and tragic events and even Red samba beans.  Pieces written over time, on piano, some up to 18 years ago, so they have a long life.  I noticed a lovely balance of parts, a nifty left hand bass breaking into a life of its own at times, lithe right hand passages, chordal or melodic or lovely improv lines, perfectly spelling out the tune with some chromatics around arpeggio notes and mobile arpeggiated lines and long runs over the 3.5 octave keyboard.  Even some alternative techniques, tapping in various spots or finger snaps with audience participation, and all within attractive original tunes that referred well to the title, perhaps Waves of Mallorca or Madrid to Paris or Groovy man walking.  It's not often I hear the piano accordion like this, or ever, but I am convinced.  In hands like this, this is a hugely attractive band in a box.  Just a lovely outing.  And to top it off, Anton handed out gratis CDs of solo baroque pieces (Bach et al), his third album.  Generous in more ways than one.

Anton Wurzer performed his original music at Wesley.

Ridiculous, sublime, whatever

So, my second musical outing after Japan and following SoundOut was Canberra Bach Ensemble.  How can you not love Bach?  He's so much a great love of our era and his cantatas are big choral works which inevitably thrill and his counterpoint is sublime.  This was CBE's triumphant return concert after performing in Leipzig, Bach's most famous home, for this year's Leipzig Bach Festival.  It must have been thrilling for those who attended.  I know they picked up bass and keys there and maybe others.  These are not instruments to easily travel with.  But then this is the home of Bach and also apparently the oldest orchestra, from the Gewandhaus, and plenty of players who play Bach cantatas regularly, so no particular problem.  This concert was back to Canberra brick rather than German stone but the thrill was still there.  Four cantatas over two hours of performance.  I can enjoy the interludes, the recitatives and arias, the singers with solo or small accompaniments, but nothing does it for me like the choruses, with blaring period trumpets and blurting oboes da caccia and driving gut bass playing with oddly grouped lines that double up unexpectedly and carry on releantlessly.  Thrilling and exultant.  Loved this one as all!

Canberra Bach Ensemble performed BWV119,148,192,137 and an encore of a wedding cantata BWV195 at St Christopher's, Manuka, under Andrew Koll (director).  Singers were Greta Claringbould (soprano), Maartje Sevenster (alto), Timothy Reynolds (tenor) and Andrew Fysh (bass).  Stephen Freeman (violin) led the orchestra and Kyle Ramsey-Daniel (bass) performed on Dave's gut 5-stringer.

Thanks

Richard thanked me for coming to the latest SoundOut gathering and noted that it's not my music.  That's true to some degree but I've attended quite a few SoundOuts over the years and I deeply respect his work in this.  It got me musing on what I like and like less of this form of music.  SoundOut posters proclaim "free jazz and experimental music" and this is perhaps a large field.  I've heard some great jazz-trained players amongst some people lesser trained in the formal arts.  That's not to put them down, but it is a different approach.  I heard that again this time.  To some degree it may be familiarity but I loved Miro's expressive and repeated or developed lines over the partner sounds less formal, often created with non-traditional techniques on traditional instruments or other.  They can be interesting and varied but they can be like pots that you play for a while then switch to another pot, sounding of change but not development.  But then, you could say something the same for sections of formal music, that you lurk in one, then switch.  I do find some comfort and invention in rhythm and harmony and melody that are functions of our formal systems, and again they can go missing.  Much of formal non-European music  ignores harmony.  Miro's lines over the top provided and defined the structures through those techniques.  And Miro was not alone.  There were several players who displayed those techniques even if not always using them in this context.  And also players who displayed good chops without indulging in the traditional forms.  Charles Martin was there with computer and he's well trained although I didn't notice obvious links to traditions this time.  Richard himself has some great chops on tenor and preferred tonguing and alternative techniques.  Karim Camprovin did some wonderful vocal work defining all manner of harmonies and even scalar plays against Miro and also played with alternatives.  Percussion came in too with Karim and Miro.  I think it was Bruce Spink on a classical guitar who displayed classical chops then all manner of dissonances, but that's standard technique these days.  Jamie Lambert, playing with him, avoided standard technique on e-guitar but coaxed some intriguing tones, especially with a small metal strip (?) and a more traditional little bow.  Paul Wong was also on a guitar and Yichen Wang on OP1 (?) with a VR headset and projection and tones varied with hand movements (did I get this one?).  That was strange.  More guitar/keys and invented electronic instruments from Stuart Orchard and Brian McNamara.  Various combinations of commercial effects and noise generators like this are common at SoundOut and can be fascinating and inviting.  Then the all playing as a large ensemble to finish.  And all the while, Nicci Hayes provided a varying projection of drawings, colours and washes.  And the backdrop was NZ mountain paintings by Euan Macleod.  So, is this "my music"?  Yes, I like the formalities and enjoy the experimentation.  I guess I prefer the free jazz to the experimental .  But I also remember a response from a NZ female pianist at a SoundOut years back.  I complimented her on her excellent set then asked what key she was playing.  She answered that she didn't know.  Best to retain some humility in our preferences and opinions.  And thanks to Richard for his ongoing work that is SoundOut.

Richard Johnson (tenor) assembled the latest SoundOut Explorations session at the Drill Hall Gallery.  Miro Bukovsky (trumpet),  Karim Camprovin (vocals) and others performed.

In the meantime, this YT video is relevant > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzodB0Sp6ZI

Ends

Our visit was just 2 weeks in three cities and one has the world largest population (Tokyo, ~37.7m, UN 2018 population estimates from Wikipedia) and another is the 10th largest (Osaka, ~19.3m) so getting around is time-consuming, even with the excellent public transport.  There are cars and some parking and small vans but not all, or even many, can have cars in metropolises like this.  But the trains are incredibly good and the stations are incredibly busy.  Tokyo's Shibuya is the world busiest railway station (3.59m people pd, Wikipedia) and Shibuya crossing is the "world's busiest pedestrian crossing" (~3k crossing at a time, Wikipedia).  So it's busy but not unpleasant.  The people are friendly and open and honest and helpful although I guess a dark side still exists but we didn't see it.  We explored and loved the food until a friend asked if we still enjoyed it, and it had us thinking we'd like some muesli rather than fish for breakfast, but it treats the bodies well.  These people live city lives with public transport and adequate but not excessive food and look well although they can look tired.  Our area in Tokyo was lively with Korean food and K-pop.  They can be playful.  But this seems so short a visit to such a different culture.  I remain entranced and mostly ignorant but quite fascinated.  Some final pics. And to end, cheers to Hong Lai, guitarist of the rock trio Mimosa from Shimokita/Yokohama, who I met on our outings, and Yudai Negishi, who was conducting his interview.

Megan and Eric visited Japan.  Yudai Negishi interviewed Hong Lai who plays guitar in the band Mimosa.