Visiting Paris

Paris comes to a backyard near you.  Aussie bassist Leigh Barker grew up in this house and performed a garden concert for friends of the family.  Leigh has ventured to Melbourne then to Paris with his singer/violinist partner Heather Stewart and they now have two young Parisians to fill the family but he still comes home every so often and plays tours and clubs and backyards and the like.  This time they'd also recorded in Melbourne.  I got to the backyard gig and it was something special, like our own jazz club with sun.  The day was good and the deck was new and stage-like and rang with taps and the piano could be rolled straight out into the open.  Leigh and Heather had Matt Boden from Hobart and Dan McLean from Michelago.  No drums, but the pulse was strong, the bass certain and voluble with the expansive piano and forthright trumpet.   There were plenty of quips and gasps and whoops shared in this style and the humour was skin deep but articulate and the groove was ever-present.   This is early jazz and not something I chase but a huge pleasure when done like this.  I was all tapping toes, as I should be.  Heather explained her new Guanieri-like violin's subtleties (essentially the Strad/Guanieri dichotomy but to all, I guess, it was pretty much unnoticeable without the two together) but the slides and delicacy were what mattered and her voice, so perfect for the era, just rang so, so true.  I think of Paris as a comfortable home for early styles (but not just: I heard Hadrien Féraud there and he's no slouch and nothing at all early).  They played WC Handy and Ellington and Fats Waller and Jelly Roll and Gershwin and even Rudi Valli and just one original, a dedication to a friend, Adriana, by Heather.  Not just another club gig but a bundle of joy of great musical skills and a huge pleasure.  Thanks to Leigh and Heather and Matt and Dan.

Leigh Barker (bass) led a quartet with Heather Stewart (vocals, violin), Matt Boden (piano) and Dan McLean (trumpet) in a backyard in Hughes.

Kimba returned

I missed Kimba and Ryan Griffith when they were at Smiths a few months ago but not this time at Hippo. The venue suited them - lively, chatty, social. Her music fits: standards although often lesser known ones. She mentioned 1958 as a key year for her. We mulled over that: post bop, hard bop, cool, R&R, youth, good post-war years, LPs, stereo. It was a great era for jazz and US popular culture. Kimba was leading a local Canberra septet for the launch of her CD. Nothing lost here with this band! These were amongst the best in town and the playing was awesome. Mark and James played the steadiest of grooves but let go for solos when on offer or called for. The horns were great. Dan, Tom, Rob read with panache and laid down colour behind vocals. Rob's solos were steady and melodic; Dan's were ecstatic, shredded but with trad growls; Tom was big toned, lyrical but ready to explore outside. Ryan was on guitar (and accompanying vocals for one particularly intimate song), all clean and uneffected and melodious and occasionally chordal. Kimba herself was lively, playful, expressive, rounded and not too high pitched, communicative with the audience. I just caught the first set. The songs were various shades of swing, blues-boogaloo and one intimate song, presumably original, sounding more Australian authenticity than American wit. I liked it and warmed to the personal honesty, of love amongst disappearing charms of youth and a challenging society. "With divorce rates high / we must be bold / Let's stay together / till we grow old". The title was Sickness and in health. All lovely ensemble playing, effective charts and charming interaction.

Kimba Griffith (vocals) led a septet to launch her new CD at Hippo, comprising Ryan Griffith (guitar, vocal), Dan McLean (trumpet), Tom Fell (tenor), Rob Lee (trombone), James Luke (bass) and Mark Sutton (drums).

Finally Merimbula 4

Then there was my band. I just performed in one band, for two sets over two days. We had decent spots in the program: 9pm Saturday; 10pm Sunday; both at the Sapphire; the second on the main stage. What a blast!

These were seriously good musos and such a pleasure to perform with: Pearl Noire out front, a Jamaican / English / Australian with presence to burn; the renowned local Noddy on drums; Baba and Dan on horns, both great readers and excellent soloists; Mike on piano and musical direction and me. This was such a good outfit: tight as, lively and entertaining, joyful but with serious chops and driving grooves. All reading with just a touch of preparation and otherwise seat of the pants, but with decent players who can cover when the things get loose. The second gig was noticibly better after the practice that was the first. The tunes were virtually all originals, songs by Pearl with charts by Mike, and a few original instrumentals by Mike. This was great fun. And I’m proud (relieved?) to say I carried my part. Thanks to the band, and hope we can do it again. We were Jazz Republic with Pearl Noire: Pearl Noire (vocals), Mike Dooley (piano, musical director), Rouslan (Baba) Babajanov (sax), Dan McLean (flugelhorn, Saturday only), Derrick (Noddy) Brassington (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).

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).

Friday night on the town

Megan and I got out for a few (just two) drinks and to catch some mates playing around town: a nice end of week outing. First was the Hyatt to sit in the garden for a touch of turntablism with trumpet/flugelhorn accompaniment.
Jonty Hall plays with trackster (am I anywhere near the language?) “Jungle” Jerry Francis as Stereotype in the Möet bar. Möet it was for Megan (pleasant but you can guess one reason why only one drink). But the ambience was relaxed and the shadows of a setting sun were superb. We liked the music, too. Mainly house dance music, minimalist, clean and some R&B female vocals and occasional solos or accompaniment by Jonty that I heard as shades of ‘80s Miles. And some remixed Simon & Garfunkel. Given the music, this was an unexpectedly mature audience, at least this night.

Maybe they were at Mint. The basement was open as a one-off venue and it was filled with 20/30 somethings. Now, this a strange venue and the sound was pretty, well, industrial, with bare cement and low ceilings. But this was fun, with UV lighting and yellow vests handed out at the door (staff wore red) and reasonable prices on drinks. The band was as good as they come for such a corporate gig around this town: Rachel Thorne, Greg Stott, Mike Dooley, James Luke, Dan McLean, Dan Bray and Mark Sutton appearing as In too deep. Two sets: first jazz; second pop/funk with James switching to e-bass. Triste, Autumn leaves then Midnight hour, Superstition, Cissy strut (?) and a devilishly arranged take on the Beatles’ Money. And it only turned out that Gossips singer Leanne Dempsey was involved in organising the gig, so here’s a pic with Rachel.

It was an early night but a bit of dry fun. Nice way to relax at the end of a week’s work. Stereotype were Jonty Hall (trumpet/flugelhorn) and Jerry Francis (turntables). In too deep were Rachel Thorne (vocals), Dan McLean (trumpet/flugelhorn), Dan Bray (tenor), Greg Stott (guitar), James Luke (acoustic, electric bass), Mark Sutton (drums) and Mike Dooley (keys).

This time Texas

It was almost like a jazz variety show when Niels Rosendahl presented his Farewell Concert. There was an audience of family and friends and not just the local jazz students and tragics. There was a good representation of audio and recording engineers and photographers were well represented. Niels, as host, chatted with the audience and invited a string of musician colleagues to stage to perform a varied mix of styles and tonalities. Then to top it off, there was a party in the foyer afterwards. But this was not lightweight performance. These are top players around town and our best are very good. First up was Niels’ organ trio with Luke Sweeting and Gary France with that particular ‘50s tonality that can be a bit woofy but which swings hard and funky when it’s in good hands. They were variously joined by three trumpets (locals Dan McLean and Ben Marston and Melbourne visitor Matt Tubman) and Raf Jerjen sat in after a few tunes. Ben played a gloriously melodic solo on Stella by starlight (trumpeters do) that highlighted to me the difference from prolific tenor madness. But then Dan and Matt indulged in trumpet mania with Dizzy’s classic brass hit, Night in Tunisia. Niels played Moon River for a friend in NYC and Luke performed a piano solo, while reading a chart from his mobile, that had Brenton and I astonished by its brilliantly perverse logic. (Luke later told us he just ignored the chart for a bit – so much for our ears). Both Raf and Gary had their solos too. Raf was newly back from NYC with a new commitment to rhythm above all and Gary is long out of the US but always with involvement and huge joy in his playing. I hadn’t realised that Gary studied at the very school that Niels is attending for his Masters program – University of North Texas School of Music: 1,500 students; 25 bands; a small town of jazzers. Back to the concert. Luke swapped to grand piano, groups grew and shrank, styles changed through various bop-influences and movie musicals then even on to the blues when Fiona Boyes came on stage. Niels has been expanding his palette into the blues and its conventions by touring with our internationally-recognised Fiona. Fiona led a Mississippi blues duo with Niels from acoustic guitar, vocals and kick box and an electric guitar blues. Then a return to jazz conventions and the influences and Coltrane and John Mackey and then a touch of evocative vocals and playful vocalese from Rachael Thoms. Then the party.

There was some stunning playing here and I imagine Niels can only continue his development with this sojourn. It was a friendly night and chatty to finish off, but as I walked home I wondered if Niels will ever wish to return to the future desert that will be Canberra music.

Niels Rosendahl (tenor) led a several bands and several visitors at his farewell concert: Luke Sweeting (organ, piano), Gary France (drums), Rafael Jerjen (bass), Dan McLean (trumpet), Ben Marston (trumpet), Matt Tubman (trumpet), Fiona Boyes (guitar, vocals), Rachael Thoms (vocals).

Cyberhalides Jazz Photos by Brian Stewart

Best way to end the term 1

I only catch The Phoenix and TAFE when I see something of particular interest but I usually enjoy it when I do. The music course at Canberra Institute Of Technology (CIT) had an end-of-year concert where the faculty played with students performing mostly original tunes by the students. My mate mike is doing some composition studies and he was presenting two tunes. Mike’s were more complex, filmic sounding tunes. One lovely ballad, Soliloquy, that we’ve played in Gossips, and a complex structured piece in 7/4 with various time changes. The rest of the night was not like that. It was more rock and blues and pop, which I can only enjoy, and then the ending. More on that later.

So who were the performers? The faculty was a great little band. I’m sure the rehearsals would not have been extensive. I know that they had just a short time with Mike’s tunes and they were obviously the most complex and Greg was preparing by reading through dots in the break. Many of the other tunes were the daily grind for players with this experience and they were played with eminently solid grooves, plenty of colour and some great solos. James Luke was solid and wonderfully authoritative and often playful on a 6-string Modulus bass with classic SWR/4x10 presence. This was a delightfully varied performance of chords, slaps, pops, thumbs, fingerfunk over 24-frets and six strings but always with an unrelenting groove in mind. Dan McLean was fabulous on trumpet. He used mute on one ballad and a rotary-valved flugelhorn on another, but it was mostly hugely blues-inflected, growly trumpet. This was really strong playing in an idiom that doesn’t see lots of trumpet. Third year student AJ (Adrian Tonkovicz) was on drums and was also eminently solid and steady with a punchy amplified kick, as is called for in a rock/blues style, although he could have let loose a bit more for my jazz-atuned ears. I found both Troy Hambly and Greg Stott were taking a back-line rhythmic role, or at least were not loud and out front and centre, but both blew the audience away with fast and furious solos when they let go. Troy impressed me as musical director / conductor with the dynamics and coordination he imparted, a common role for pianists, and played some great rhythmic two-handed solos out of the R&B songbook. Greg is a stunner with sweeps and fast screaming guitar and there was some of this, although mostly he was playing more cleanly with a bluesy approach. Either way, terrific and exciting guitar playing. He also filled rhythmic duties on a cajun rhythm box at times although this was not too prominent amongst the other players.

The faculty band from the CIT Music School was Troy Hambly (keyboard), James Luke (bass), Dan McLean (trumpet, flugelhorn), Greg Stott (guitar) and third year student AJ (Adrian Tonkovicz, drums)

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.

Sweep of history 2

The second band at yesterday’s Folkus was a jump to funk and the seventies: more an offshoot of jazz than part of its mainstream. Turner’s Antidote performs at local festivals, but doesn’t seem to otherwise appear in the CJCalendar. But they are lively and fun, as in Brecker Brother and Commodores and the like, so worth the effort to catch them. Hot bass grooves with guitar, keys and drums form the back line, and they combine with three horns up front. All hot and sticky and sexy, as this style should be. Nice to see a combination of generations, with a few stars from the jazz school combining with the moderately age-challenged amongst us. Music’s a great leveller. I’d guess at least one of the players can remember the era. It was hard not to notice Lethal Leigh Miller’s bass and some raging solos from Dan McLean, but everyone had their space in the sun. Picking up the pieces was surprisingly cool, complete with chants. All blues was airy and on edge but worked. I particularly liked some tensions that just sat with wah-guitar or floating keyboard flitting through. And there was a theme from Billy Cobham’s classic album, Spectrum, in there somewhere. The ‘70s are a much maligned era, but it had its high points and unique visions … disco and punk and platforms and sequins amongst them. Catch Turner’s Antidote at the next Moruya Festival, or otherwise if you can.

Turner’s Antidote comprises Peter Henderson (tenor sax), Richard Manning (guitar), Leanne Ballard (keyboards), Dan McLean (trumpet), Rod Harding (trombone), Leigh Miller (bass) and Aidan Lowe (drums).

More folks at Folkus

The latest of the monthly Jazz@Folkus sessions was held last Saturday, and it was a cracker. There was a solid attendance by a range of listeners and members of the Canberra Jazz Club. And it was well deserved, with interesting original music from Dan McLean and his cohort and a visit by some bluesicians. There was more, but I had to leave early.

Jazz@Folkus seems to be developing as a meeting place for all manner of musically-interested people. There were at least 3 attempts to record the session: James Luke with a laptop taking a feed off the PA, another guy with a stereo pair of ribbon mics into a Zoom H4, and me with my new Rode NT4 into my own trusty H4. There was also a Jazz Club raffle (which I was lucky enough to win!). Folkus founder Bill has pronounced a dictat that everyone should introduce themselves to someone new. It gives an excuse to chat widely, so there’s chance of developing a real community. Good luck to it.

Dan McLean appeared with his new quartet, featuring Greg Stott, James Luke and Chris Thwaite. The music was all original, mostly (perhaps all?) by Dan. Dan seems to me to play with a broad range of styles which encompass the history of jazz trumpet: older style growls and strained notes and traditional arpeggios through to audacious boppy scalar and pentatonic runs. His tunes were similarly varied including several odd times. Unexpected was a version of Summertime with alternating acid 4/4 and swing 3/4 and with some way out timing ending the head (half-time 6/4?). Looking forward was mostly 11/4 (6-5) in straight 8s then swing, but with a bridge of repeated 5-5-6-5 (I think!). There was latin, blues swing, ballads, funky Herbie Hancock riffs, postbop and a Monkish tune to finish the set. James set some solid riffs down and busily swapped between double bass and his fretless electric. His solos are relaxed in presentation but melodically strong and technically varied, and the sound of the fretless Fender is like a bouncing ball. Greg can be a rocket: furious and fast, and conceptually complex. He plays gentle and intervallically interesting lines, but can drop into double or even quadruple speed runs with precision at call. His sound sits way back in the mix with what seems like wet reverb. Chris is a great listener - you can feel his concentration - so his playing was clear and accurate, and he takes tasty solos too. It was a first outing for this band: there were some rough edges and some chuckles within the band when they encountered the odd times, but it bodes well.

The second band was a bit incongruous, but capable in their blues style. They were a trio from the Chris Harland Blues Band, presumably led by Chris himself on guitar and vocals. They played the harmonically simple but emotionally charged style that is Chicago (guitar-based) blues: a solid rhythm section supporting a feature guitarist/vocalist. There were sustained, distorted guitar solos on blues scales and lyrics like “pray, lord have mercy” and paens for lost lovers. Standard stuff, nicely played; great for a night out, a chat and a few beers. If you want to hear more, there’s a strong blues scene in Canberra. See URLs below.

I had to leave early, but as I was walking out I heard the first bars of a band featuring four trumpets up front. It had the sound of composed harmonies and was sounding great, so I dreaded having to leave. Presumably, there would have been a short jam at the end, too. Feel free to add comments below, especially if you were there to the end.

The previous J@F had a very poor showing, but this month’s was eminently successful. Support these sessions with your attendance, and congrats especially to Cam and Dan for a great afternoon.

Canberra Blues Society website