Mo' blues

Well I don't have pics of all the bands at the Canberra Blues Society jam session, a few because I had to leave early and another because I was playing in it.  It's fun to get out an e-Bass (my preference is a run-of-the-mill Fender MiM JB) but I never play it other than for the Blues jams, so it's a bit of a new experience, but it is light to play.  And fast... I can get carried away!  Otherwise, Key Grip was the host band for the session and they were great to hear, well informed on blues and related styles and capable players all round.  The jammers were consistently capable too which bodes well for the blues in town and perhaps is a function of the blues training offered, esp to next gen.  Still, the audience numbers were down, perhaps given Hendrix the previous night.  But a nice outing and friendly people and great stage gear to indulge in.  Much enjoyed.

Key Grip are Leo Joseph (piano), Angela Lount (vocals), Lauren Thurlow (tenor), Alec Coulson (bass) and Mitch Preston (drums).  Key Grip were the host band for the monthly Canberra Blues Society jam session at the Harmonie German Club.

Knowing NOLA

Not only are Key Grip great communicators with their audience but they also play so well.  This is around the blues scene but not all 12-bars.  Plenty of nicely complex chordal movements, piano but also organ, that mainstay of a New Orleans-adjacent style, paens of love and loss and such blues themes from all manner of renowned artists (Dr John, Jon Cleary, Bonnie Raitt) and some hugely satisfying and involving and just plain correct bass-drum grooves.  These are all known names on our local scene and obviously have a retinue of followers but also good friends.  I'd seen them years back but not recently, and this return was a huge pleasure.   There's joy here in playing together and obvious skills and experience.  Angela and Leo have been doing it as duos and more for ages, with Mitch all along.  Alec has played the cruise ships and you can feel that readiness and ability to perform (and such a great tone), and Lauren adds that touch of jazz chops but with a dirty blues edge.  Just a fabulous combination.  This gig was called at the last minute when there was an empty spot at Smiths and the players happened to be free.  It was partly to celebrate Mitch's birthday of a day before, so we heard plenty from Mitch as MC and he called the tunes and was a source of much jovial presence.  So much fun and so nicely done. Loved this one!

Key Grip played at Smiths.  They comprise Leo Joseph (piano, organ, vocals), Angela Lount (vocals), Lauren Thurlow (tenor), Alec Coulson (bass), Mitch Preston (drums).

Jazz Club'n'it

We tend to forget that jazz was once the popular music of its day. We went to a Canberra Jazz Club event at the Southern Cross Club at Jamison and you almost felt it still is. Terry Wynn was playing with the Wayne Kelly Trio and guest vocals Angela Lount and the dancers were up and the kids were running around and the swing dancers were at a near table with their natty period outfits and it was busy. The place was swinging. The brackets featured a few bebop instrumentals, there was at least one original, this time from Ben, the swinging standards had everyone in a good mood and at least a few couples were always up on the dance floor. How different from the cerebral sobriety of much contemporary jazz. I love that, of course, but this is music for people, clever and well played, and also for entertainment. So, a different side of jazz and well enjoyed and the beer's on tap, too.

Terry Wynn (sax, clarinet) played with the Wayne Kelly trio, comprising Wayne Kelly (piano), Ben O'Loghlin (bass) and Mark Sutton (drums) and Angela Lount (vocals) was out front.

Finally Merimbula 2

I listened to an interesting duo over a Thai dinner: baritone sax and violin. They introduced themselves as Richard and Anna Savery (Anna’s in the program as Anna Okunev in the trio Sweet and Savery). This was classical chops applied to jazz, easy sequences, extended ranges, long arpeggiated phrases, double stop string accompaniment. The classical training was clearly evident on violin. I’m not sure of baritone sax as a classical instrument, but Richard had chops too. Classical players don’t swing quite like jazzers, but they worked through the Real Book with ease and took requests. I suggested Out of nowhere and Bluesette and they did them both. I was entertained and most impressed. Richard Savery (baritone sax) played with Ana Okunev (violin).

I really enjoyed a set by singer Ketzia Wood supported by a piano trio. Her voice was raspy and she mentioned a recent cold. I noticed no spectacular control or technique but here was the stage presence of torch singers in dark bars and the era of Lady Day. This was simple melody perfectly phrased, undemonstrative but emotively deep, of the moment, shimmering movement and guiltlessly seductive. I’m not sure the women would have responded quite the same, but Ketzia had presence. She sang the likes of Embraceable you and I’m old fashioned. What else?

As good as the best were our Canberra mates, Angela Lount and the Fedoras. Perhaps this is no surprise. They are classy professional players who gig often and are deeply ensconced in the music scene as both performers and teachers. This was easy presence and informality with chops. Dan McLean and James Luke shred the tunes but I just await every solo from Paul dal Broi. He sits calm and thoughtful, deconstructing the tamest of tunes into obtuse and edgy re-harmonisations and occasional streams of melodic thought. You wouldn’t expect it from this playlist – Blue skies, Autumn leaves, Georgia – but these guys are hot and the outcome is downright interesting. Angela Lount (vocals) led the Fedoras comprising Dan McLean (flugelhorn), Paul dal Broi (piano), James Luke (bass) and Mitch Preston (drums) sitting in.

I caught the Wonderdogs and they are good. This is very well practiced trad-styled entertainment with considerable fluency. Tight, with modern presence and chops. Wonderdogs are Andrew Jack (trumpet), Ian Christensen (reeds), Greg Simmons (banko), Alex Wilson (bass) and Bill Lawler (drums).

Decorative to decorous

It’s strange how things coincide, in this case, decorative arts and birds and the blues. We’d gone to the Canberra Museum & Gallery (CMAG) to see the exhibition “Australia Revealed : decorative arts from the Australiana Fund”. It’s a small but delightful exhibition of decorative arts that were purchased for use in four official residences: Admiralty House and Kirribili in Sydney and The Lodge and Government House in Canberra. These are formal residences, so doughty but quality works are expected. We got heavy cedar furniture from the nineteenth century and statues of heroes of whatever era and some nouveau curves and toby jugs and silver and more timber and china and some more modern pieces. The star of the show was Bertram Mckennal, but he always is the star with his lithe female nudes. It gets the guys in the gallery and the admiration of the women, too. This one was a small figure called Truth, but the woman looked all the world like McKennall’s Circe to me, except for her angel wings and pose. I was amused by several pieces of porcelain: a toby jug of sailors presumably arriving at Sydney Cove and some life-sized sulphur-crested cockies. The earlier works were heavy and dark and functional, but they, too, featured Australian fauna. We were interested to learn of a new piece of furniture - a cellarette, shaped like a sarcophagus - which just had to be for storing wines in the dark with some temperature control. What a heavy life they must have lived in our hot clime, given the dark furniture and heavy clothing. Just proof of the “mad dogs and Englishmen” thesis. It’s a small exhibit, but there are some interesting works of quality that inform our history. Much enjoyed.

Walking on through CMAG, we came across a dead parrot (you wouldn’t write of it!) attached to the name of Dr Leo Joseph and thus to the blues. Leo researches the evolution of Australian birds at CSIRO, but he also moonlights playing the blues. His band, Key Grip Full Strength, was playing at the Brassey that very afternoon. Leo plays solo or in a smaller outfit or with his band with the Gripping Stuff horn section as KG Full Strength. This is New Orleans swing: laid back; sharp guitar; passionate vocals; and good for a dance. It’s all blues and blues isn’t noted for its variety. I noticed some consecutive count-ins that were the same tempo, even if the groove was different. And the chords are just that, the blues: twelve bars with classic bass-lines. It’s a style and there’s a good degree of sameness about it, but it’s also invigourating, danceable, sometimes witty, and can be impassioned. The horns add punch and colour, but also a bit of jazz sensibility when they insinuate dissonance and cross-rhythmic flourishes amongst blues licks. Dave’s guitar is sharp and I noticed some nicely sophisticated intervallic touches. There’s banter from Leo and Mitch and vocals from Leo and Angela with her hefty alto voice. And the inevitable, classic pentatonic bass lines from Greg. Blues is like that. Human scale and unpretentious and great for some beers, or many.

Key Grip are Leo Joseph (piano, vocals), Angela Lount (vocals), Dave Blanken (guitar), Greg Moss (bass), Mitch Preston (drums) and the Gripping Stuff horn section are Nick Combe (tenor sax), Tye Langford (alto sax) and Tom Fell (baritone sax).

Australia revealed

Calmer than Shanghai

CJ started when I was rediscovering the jazz scene, this time here in Canberra. Some of my first posts were of the Wayne Kelly Trio. I’d first heard Wayne in the 1980s and he impressed me mightily. I drifted off to other interests, but when I returned, Wayne was there playing around town in a wonderful modern trio with capable players – Ben O’Loghlin and Mark Sutton – and was soon to record a CD. Wayne has since been to Macau and Shanghai for 3 years and recently returned. Last night was the first since his return that I’ve heard him playing his non-commercial side, and it’s as satisfying and impressive as ever.

Last night’s trio comprised Wayne with Phill Jenkins and Col Hoorweg. They played both lovely subtle or stretched out versions of Wayne’s original repertoire, including a few new tunes, like the boppy Shanghai taxi driver and a very lovely love song. The bop is the side of Wayne that I know: sometimes lyrical and hard swinging as in his dedication Mr Hank Jones, boppy for the blood-pressure raisers like Shanghai taxi driver and What’s the number, and strains of McCoy Tyner in his King of kings and others. An interesting addition to his repertoire this time around was a love song performed by Angela Lount and Steve Amosa, with male and female verses and a harmonised verse to finish. It had the presence of a musical: the final tender tune that ends a tragedy, like West Side Story’s Somewhere. Touching and quite beautiful; unexpected but much appreciated. Phill and Col did admirable service. Phill always underplays his volume, but he played some nicely challenging ostinatos and some solos that spoke the chords very nicely. Col played with energy and his characteristic varied percussive sounds. I particularly enjoyed a (metal?) pipe that he hit with a stick and damped with his palm. He expanded his palette further for a percussion solo that I found interstingly varied. There were a few sit-ins for the night: singers Angela Lount and Steve Amosa, who I mentioned above, but also Ben O’Loghlin, bassist from the earlier WK Trio. He’s now in Melbourne, and surprisingly still getting out despite very recent parenthood. Ben sat in for two standards, and the old magic was still there: strong sound, driving swings.

It was a small outing but a chummy local get-together, like a house party. Great to see Wayne back in town and I’m still loving his music. Thanks to Wayne. Wayne Kelly (piano) led a trio with Phill Jenkins (bass) and Col Hoorweg (drums). Ben O’Loghlin (bass) sat in for a few tunes, and Angela Lount (vocals) and Steve Amosa (vocals) sang one touching love song.

Cyberhalides Jazz Photos by Brian Stewart

Manuka night and day

Pronounce Manuka with the wrong accent and all Canberrans will recognise you as a visitor. Manuka is Canberra’s original upmarket nightspot even if it dates back only 90 years or so, and it can be pretty lively on pleasant evening. I was down there for SCUNA and dinner and was surprised to see bands sandwiching the concert at the local outdoor bar, Charlie Black. I didn’t stop to listen, but suffice to say the Funky Fedoras took the afternoon shift, and Groovilicious took the evening. On the day, the Funky Fedoras were Angela Lount (vocals), Dan McLean (trumpet), Paul dal Broi (piano), Phill Jenkins (bass) and Chris Thwaite (drums). Groovilicious were my dear Monica Moore (vocals), Hugh Le (guitar), Tim Power (bass), Scott Temby (keys) and Dave Sheville (drums). Here are just two pics.

Moruya 2009

It’s time for my annual run to the Moruya Jazz Festival. I got to play and I heard the Canberra locals get together in various combinations, some I hadn’t heard, most I had. I’ve reported on them often enough, so just a few comments. Obviously my gig is vital for me, so I take the liberty to start with that!

I got together a few mates for the festival, and we appeared at Deja Two. Deja Two was Cameron Smith (flugelhorn), Peter Kirkup (piano), Mark Body (drums) and Eric Pozza (double bass). Just some standards, but: Cam reads easily and plays a stylish and correct solo with a lovely flugel tone; Peter knows his jazz history and music theory and is a pleasure to play and chat with; Mark is jazz school so well trained and possesses a broad swing (so says Peter); and I continue to struggle with my change to the big, acoustic bass, but I’m enjoying the challenge. We rushed a bit and were harmlessly messy on a few starts and finishes (it’s just a blow, after all) but indulged in some extended solos, got some decent band dynamics happening and pleasingly held the audience. So we enjoyed the outing.

The Air Raid Tavern added a second stage in the Bar this year. It’s been the modern end of the festival and the home of the ANU Jazz School for years and remains so. I was only down for Saturday and didn’t manage to move beyond these two stages.

The morning started with the Kade Brown Trio. It’s a young local (Eurabodalla Shire) outfit led by Kade Brown (piano) with Josh Freestone (drums) and Mishi Stern (bass) playing a standard repertoire of jazz tunes.

Angela Lount and the Fedoras played the soft pop/jazz (read working) end of the jazz spectrum with supple smoothness and some interesting playing. They are classy and you can see why they get the corporate gigs. Angela Lount (vocals) sings with the Fedoras: Paul dal Broi (piano), Dan McLean (trumpet), Hannah James (bass, sitting in for James Luke) and Chris Thwaite (drums). I noted a classy solo from Paul and a wonderful growling plunger mute solo from Dan.

I just caught a few bars of my mates Kooky Fandango. They play a bluesy-jazz style, without a chordal instrument (other than Peter when he plays chords on his crystalline 6-string Alembic bass). It was a fore-shortened KF with only 4 players on the day, but they are entertaining and well rehearsed and it shows. Courtney Stark (vocals) fronted Cameron Smith (trumpet, flugelhorn), Peter Barta (bass) and Robert Nesci (drums).

As Famous as the Moon is an institution around Canberra. Dirk Zeylmans (sax) leads a very smooth, stylish band with Graham Monger (guitar), Lachlan Coventry (bass) and John Milton (drums). Dirk is a renowned local sax technician, so you can expect wonderful tone along with his pleasant and very direct and personal patter. This is cool jazz in the ilk of Stan Getz. Graham played some lovely blues-scale infested lines which fitted like the glove; Lachlan is a well-trained guitarist who plays a supple electric-bass style; John Milton played understated but steady and observant drums.

Old Canberra out

It’s been a string of opportunities to hear Wayne Kelly before his departure. The last was Sunday afternoon at the Old Canberra Inn. The Inn is mainly a blues venue, but it’s relaxed and genuinely old with its timber slab walls, so good for a get-together of jazzers as well as an easy-going jam session. Wayne had been inviting people to this farewell session so there were lots of friends to join in, some unusual combinations to form, and some new names to meet.

The host band was Wayne with James Luke and Wayne’s brother Gavin on drums. James was playing his usual busy, playful style across a range of musical forms. Great playing from a local bass identity. Wayne was similarly spirited as he worked his way through blues and jazz and funky rhythms. Gavin played a laid back blues style and was obviously enjoying the outing. John Mackey and trumpeter Dan McLean sat in, along with Fedoran vocalist Angela Lount. A later combination took names from the local blues stable. Gaye Reid led a band with James Luke, Chris Thwaite on drums, Leo Joseph on piano and Chris Tomasyk on blues harp. There were several pianists there on the day who might take some of the work passed on by Wayne. Paul dal Broi didn’t play, but John Black was about to get up as I left (“too drunk to play, but not drunk enough to know it”). I understand my mate Daniel Wild got in a few choruses on piano before I arrived, too.

I got the call from James Luke to sit in, so got to play a few tunes with John Mackey, Gavin Kelly, Jim Latta and Wayne. It was solid swing and I was adjusting to a different instrument, but I played OK and got in one solo which was a bit extravagant (not inappropriate for such a session). Off to the side, I could hear a cavalcade of notes from John working his way through (pre-)Coltrane changes on the bridge of Have you met Miss Jones. Good fun.

Niels Rosendahl was there too, although sadly without his sax. He’s just recently returned from London. Such is life; we come and we go, I guess.

It was a relaxed and entertaining outing for lots of the jazz scene around town. Much enjoyed. Wayne’s not off for few more weeks, so maybe you’ll catch him somewhere around town before then. Report your sightings to CJ :->

Season’s end at the George

It was a perfect day for jazz in a beer garden. The beer was English ale on tap; the band was Funky Fedoras with Angela Lount out front and one of the hardest swinging, and most capable, back lines in town.

I could only stay a short time, so I just heard the smooth dinner music set (for this, read standards and lounge) but they were lusciously performed, with Angela’s deep, rich rounded voice, rock steady swing, plenty of traded fours, and great solos from both Wayne and James. Wayne is always a great performer. This was a big change after hearing him as McCoy Tyner playing Love Supreme only days before, and it confirmed his versatility. This was chordal solos, octaves, block chords, and occasional modern interpolations. I was stunned by one passage that meandered off, sounding dangerously close to free, but fell back effortlessly to swing; lovely. James hinted at his spacious, funky Tuesday evening gigs at Trinity with fluent fretless solos, but this was more passing chords and cycles of fifths, rather than sparse, horizontal playing. But again, satisfying and comfortable. Chris had plenty of opportunities for swapping, and did that in his melodic, understated style. Angela’s rich, low pitched voice sat comfortably over this bubbling background with clear, sonorous vitality, and an easy stage presence. I can see why this is a busy corporate band around town.

Angela told us that Jazz at the George was closing up for the season. Given it was such a perfect day, it was doubly sad to hear, but it will presumably be back with the Spring. The Autumn/Winter period in Canberra is chilly at times, and the jazz retreats indoors, so this is not unexpected. But sitting with a beer in my hand on a perfect day, it did seem a loss.

The Funky Fedoras are Angela Lount (vocal), Wayne Kelly (piano), James Luke (bass) and Chris Thwaite (drums).