Thanks, Nugget

Andrea Keller was in Canberra for her ANU HC Coombes Fellowship and she presented a gig at the Drill Hall Gallery.  Her generosity was evident with its structure, featuring her trio with John and Miro but also with short features from three ANU student pianists, each displaying their skills and works.  The title of her concert says it all: New collaborations.  Andrea's trio played two sets including several new compositions from the Flicker series, Flickers no.2,3,4,5 and Carefree daze, Cobourg  and Hope in the thing with feathers (Andrea) and Peace please (a masterpiece by Miro). These were virtuosic presentations, clear pianistic accompaniments or intros and with clarity in solos truly to die for.  This was lucid with no bass or drums filling space, just master musicians speaking to open and live air.  The Drill Hall reverb worked a treat in this format.  I was taken aback by the beauty of some passages, clear and open as they were.  To hear how John could investigate a tune, calm and searching and occasionally explosive, was a thing of wonder and so evident in this format; the clarity of expression and harmony of Miro and John as a pairing showed their long history; Andrea leading, introducing, accompanying, ever clear and evocative, ever decisive and gently stated.  Then the three younger pianists, students or recently so, from a mix of classical and jazz backgrounds but essentially in a jazz idiom, if more latin than bebop.  Elliot Kozary played Estate and Blue in green.  Caleb Campbell played a his Spinning wheel, an improv on recurrent motion, and a major work, originally written in 11 parts and here reduced to solo piano, somewhat biographical, called Drift.  Ronan Apcar claimed a more classical background, playing an improv on folk Armenian tones, dark and deep, and a take on Brad Mehldau When it rains.  Truly a stunning concert and a thing of great beauty.

Andrea Keller (piano) led a trio with John Mackey (tenor) and Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn) at the Drill Hall Gallery.  Elliot Kozary, Caleb Campbell and Ronan Apcar (piano) presented solo pieces.

Entrees

Again I heard Gravy 'Trane as openers. GT are a quartet of students from the Jazz School, obviously a formidable group. Here they appeared with a different drummer as Hugh was to play with the main band. They laid down some seriously capable solos against Bird, Steven Scott, Coltrane's Naima, Miles' So what, Sonny Rollins' Oleo and one original. I particularly liked Caleb's floating chords in various spots, Thomas' and Isaac's fluent and purposeful solos and Alex also laid down some committed fours and eights and the like. The original was interestingly more floating, calling naturally for those more meditative sounds of Caleb's floating chords. But then he could also move through different feels with considerable ease. Sometimes, perhaps I felt some over-excitement in grooves or fills, but the student life is a settling period to do just that settling. Nice chops and melodies and ideas evident. GT are very satisfying now and only promise more.

Gravy 'Trane were Thomas Coleman-Bell (alto), Caleb Campbell (piano), Isaac Said (bass) and Alex Wanjura (drums).

Hints of refluoresence

I've got the story, several times over recent weeks, that the ANU School of Music is chuffing along. Apparently they had 80 new students this year after 30 the previous year (or thereabouts?). Plenty of jazz and contemporary players who are getting jazz harmony training and showing interest in the demanding arts. Nice. I haven't seen too many over recent years, but maybe they are coming out of the woodwork. Before Warwick Alder we had one such band as a warmup. The band was Gravy 'Trane. The composition was sax, piano, bass, drums. The tunes were both covers and originals, interestingly by a few members. All looking up. Gravy waltz, Naima, a Cedar Walton tune and Stephen Scott Like a child at play are covers. In addition, three originals by sax, piano and bass. The players were decent, too. Obviously fairly new but with an understanding and awareness of the music and instrumental history. I enjoyed some nicely structured sax lines, some very confident bass, aware and responsive piano and drums. I noticed in the past that the early year students tended to be in the background; the more mature, developed players, some second, but mostly third year and honours, were out and about and doing some impressive, creative, personally relevant stuff. With any luck, that's where we are going, so expect any flowering to show over a few years. Looking forward to it. Gravy 'Trane are a promising opener.

Gravy 'Trane were Thomas Coleman-Bell (alto), Caleb Campbell (piano), Isaac Said (bass) and Hugh Magri-Bull (drums).