2 of 3x2

Oh my god! How different can two piano trios be? I wrote of Alister Spence yesterday. Today I write of the Ben Winkelman Trio. There’s a city difference (Spence/Sydney and Winkelman/Melbourne) and maybe there’s something to that, but I heard this as a difference of period and generation. Spence was modern; Winkelman was post-modern. Both were fabulous, but hugely different.

Ben’s obviously classically trained, showing that light touch and ease that comes from exercises and etudes. He also based two tunes on themes from C20th classics that he’d been studying: Ravel and Messiaen. His trio comprised Sam Anning on bass (originally Perth, but now Melbourne) and Ben Vanderwal on drums. It’s a rhythm pairing I’ve long admired. But why the po-mo? Post-modernism is an ironic mix of genres and styles, as against the seriousness of the modern and its rational humanist belief in progress. Here the po-mo showed as a melange of styles that were combined with great competency, but also lightheartedness: stride, latins, tango, swing, brought together with odd and changing time signatures, and extensive, wildly syncopated arrangements. There was a lot of written work in this - unison lines, complicated ostinato passages, changing forms and themes - and the solos similarly held a style then moved on, aware of difference and toying with it. I think the tunes were all originals from Ben’s albums: Spanish tinge, Steppin’ 2, Vampires, Five Odyssey and Seven Odyssey, Dislocation, Maxine stomp, and others. The names mean little without the albums. Dislocation was a gloriously sparse ballad with a solo by Sam to die for. A few others grew with long crescendos. Otherwise, they morphed playfully. Ben was the leader. Well spoken as presenter, and well voiced on piano with a gentle touch and moderate volume. Ben was not overly rapid, but he explored ideas without technical restraint, coolly and thougthfully rather than heart-on-shoulder emotionally. Sam’s such a lovely player. Terrific fluency, tone that’s present and not edgy, long runs of long intervals and arpeggios over several octaves, sharp right hand syncopations that patter with 16th notes. And solos that glowed with purpose. Ben V’s another varied character. He’s not so much a groove merchant as a lover of jumbled sounds. It’s seldom that he maintains a steady groove; rather there will be rat-a-tats on woodblocks or cowbells, or rudiments on any of the standard kit. He’s got an intellectual approach, knowing his rhythmic options, but he also presents an earful, sometimes sounding of jazz history with even patterns to match the strides or stomps they accompany. I remember him similarly playing with tones of window ledges, glasses and the like years back at Hippo.

This night that was so different from the previous. 3x2 has been quite a revelation; a marvellously diverse and intelligent offering. Thanks to Street and the bands, and I hope they do similar things again. Ben Winkelman (piano) led a trio with Sam Anning (bass) and Ben Vanderwal (drums) at the Street Theatre 2.

1 of 3x2

It was a ride of great variety when the Alister Spence Trio played at Street Theatre. Alister was playing the first of two concerts by piano trios at the Street. It’s a worthy innovation. They will undoubtedly prove to be two high quality and challenging outings (the 3x2 series). The audience was not large, but reasonable, and the band was presented formally on the theatre stage. Alister was playing with Cameron Undy and Toby Hall. Cameron was sitting in for Lloyd Swanton who normally plays this gig.

The music started as avant-garde minimalist, one or few repeating chords with subtle changes: almost ambient: intriguing and inward-focussed; sparse bass and ringing tuned percussion. Within a few tunes we were in free territory, with richly dissonant piano going the clappers, with busy bass and drum kit. This was more my territory: grand piano moving easily through dissonances; wonderfully rounded bass tones well into very comfortable thumb positions; lovely cross rhythmic drumming. This was authentic to the form and very capable, powerful playing. Cameron was doing a wonderful job, reading some very complex lines and soloing with clear and purposeful lines. It was an obvious challenge. He showed it in his concentration. The performance was well worth the respect that Alister expressed. Then into a break, and a second half that changed again, to some delightfully lyrical pieces. Still the unexpected rhythmic patterns, but melodic lines that were very pleasing. This was chord running in a ballad sense, rather than bop. Their capabilities in this format were as impressive as earlier. Solos from piano and bass moved from the melody, but were always eloquently relevant to it. Piano and drum solos and grew and grew as long crescendos. Also interesting were the improvised introductions to some tunes against sampled glockenspiel or prepared piano. Alister’s piano were intellectually satisfying in free excursions, lulling in minimalism and expressive against the balladic styles. I also noticed his leadership, where the slightest of nods of glances introduced section changes. Cameron was wonderful in taking on some very syncopated unison lines and carrying them off, and his solos were eminently suitable for the context. I’m always impressed by drummers who know pitch as well as rhythm and Toby played pitch on glockenspiel. But it was really in the drum accompaniment that I most enjoyed his playing. I closed my eyes and found his rhythms and fills and grooves sat with ease with the rest.

The highest quality of playing on music that ranged widely, from modern ambient minimalism to free to ballads. Intriguing and engrossing. Alister Spence (piano) performed with Cameron Undy (bass) and Toby Hall (drums, glockenspiel) at the Street Theatre.