Whiskey's a warmer

The Glenfiddich Whiskey Wanderer was back in town and Tilt took a gig in the open in mid-winter Canberra.  Just 2 hours, but suffice to say we were concerned about the cold.  Just look at the puffer jackets: not pretty.  In fact, in the end, there was no wind, the temp was ~7degC and I was mostly too hot.  But hot is good for jazz and this was a best eva, but I've been saying that too often recently.  Suffice to say we played well, nice driving rhythms and lovely solos, some adventurous free forays, one almost endless solo coaxed from Dave.  Let's face it, when playing fours you can't squib and you also can't determine how long it goes for.  Someone bought me a whiskey and tonic and it was interesting although I drink mine straight.  And a cash tip even fell on Dave's snare at one stage.  Generous!  As for the venue, it's a 1972 Leyland double decker bus that's been decked out with bar and seating and an upstairs lift-ceiling.  Self-sufficient and cute.  We were so taken by it all that we just played a single, long 2-hour set.  We've been enjoying longer sets recently although not to 2 hours straight, but when you're on a high, make the most of it.  So quite a night to remember.

Tilt played at Molly for the visiting Glenfiddich Whiskey Wanderer 1972 Leyland double decker bus.  Tilt are James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).

Another Hofner variation

That very night (the night of the Beatles tribute) Tilt played at Old Canberra Inn and Richard dropped in to play a few tunes.  We didn't play any Beatles, but I reckon the Fab Four would have taken such a selfie, at least  in their early days, if they had our mobiles.  My bass even got a look in, so again a Hofner variation.  This was great fun and we played well but we've played too little this year.  Not sure why, but probably to some degree a function of self-promotion.  Despite this blog, we are not too good at that.  Like my alter-ego studio band, The Pots, with its few monthly listeners.  I notice lots of other players, often well regarded or with significant musical history with just a few monthly listeners like my The Pots.  A mate from a schooldays band who went on to play with the best in Australia and toured OS contacted me this week and his albums have a similar listener base.  But this was a good night out, some drinks and food, some nice bass solos and grooves and for me that's the purpose of all this anyway, at least after so many years.

Tilt Trio played at Old Canberra Inn.  Richard Manderson (tenor) sat in with James Woodman (piano), Eric Pozza (bass) and Dave McDade (drums).

Old

The Old Canberra Inn is about the oldest European built thing in Canberra.  A hand hewn timber slab construction from 1857, originally a coach stop, rough but a great hangout with history and character and ambience.  So when we got an offer out of the blue to play there, we took it.  The news was that jam sessions fortnightly and band gigs the alternate weeks.  OK.  We had a great gig and a great audience and played well.  Not sure, though, that the message went out, as a few blokes arrived with guitar and kit components.  We got to chat with a visiting muso from Sydney but he was just there for a dinner.  And Leo Joseph dropped in for some of the first set.  I would have liked to talk to a few of the others but nothing came of it.  We played two long sets and no musos around in the breaks.  Whatever, the jam scene has opened up now in Canberra, and I know of at least regular jam sessions around Canberra.  So all is well and we enjoyed the gig.  Thus ends a busy few weeks for me: two significant classical gigs and three jazz gigs.  Plus an album release and various recordings.  That's lots for this bassist.

Tilt Trio played at Old Canberra Inn.  Tilt Trio are James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).

Visits

I was surprised to see Anthony Irvine arrive at our Molly gig.  He's a capable bassist and he said later he'd just come to hear Tilt Trio.  We are a retiring crew so I was somewhat flustered.  But we chatted and we played well, so all was well.  He also played a few tunes after our break.  Sadly, no pic, but this was a lesson in commitment and extravagant high playing.  So, what a blast after my relatively safe, but if pretty effective, arpeggiated chords and scalar solos.  He mentioned this as classical chops.  Yeah, maybe, not sure.  I am informed by my recent classical playing.  I certainly read better, if not the more syncopated stuff which is not a thing for the classics.  But I do enjoy finding cycles of fifths and diminisheds and chromaticism in "fine" music, even in Beethoven, often enough.  So it's all a thing of pleasure.  Certainly this gig was.  Thanks for the visit, Anthony.

Tilt Trio played Molly.  Tilt are James Woodman (piano), Eric Pozza (bass) and Dave McDade (drums) and Anthony Irvine (bass) sat in for a few tunes.

Lean times

It's been lean times for a while what with Covid and all and then I had a clash.  Not just two but three.  Sadly, I missed Maruki for National Capital Orchestra and NCO for Tilt but we ended up with a great little gig at the Reid Tennis Club, about as old venue as is possible in Canberra, at least post-Capital-decision.  It's a cute little building in a glorious park with tennis courts and recently renovated for its 100th anniversary soon (next year?).  I've lived in Rome and that's a different sense of history, of course, but this was pleasant and the rains left for the day and all was well.  We played well too, and that's nice.  Too bad about Brahms 2 and Dvorak cello concerto and the rest, but if that's the worst of conflicts we experience in our lives, we are lucky.

Tilt Trio played at Reid Tennis Club.  Tilt are James Woodman (piano), Eric Pozza (bass) and Dave McDade (drums).

Hearing yourself

I guess it's apt there's no record of our recording weekend.  It was at home, in the lounge, not perfect acoustics.  It was to be two mornings with Tilt, but James could only do one, so it became Tilt one morning and TED the next.  TED?  Just an initialism for guitarist Tim Foster with Eric and Dave.  It's a change, playing a trio with guitar; different again like a sax trio we also played once.  All different.  I doubt there will be a release from either of the sessions, but it was fun and it's always informative to hear yourself.  We could use various adjectives here - informative, discouraging, hopeful, preening, many more - but such is the way of musicianship.  Given there was no pic for either day or of the studio before its dismantlement, the pic is some gear we used.  Not a Neumann within cooee, but decent none-the-less.  BTW, my DAW is Reaper: ridiculously good for $90.

James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums), Eric Pozza (bass) and Tim Foster (guitar) variously recorded over the last weekend.

Quiet times

Except form Covid, it's quiet times, or maybe because of it.  But we got out for a gig at Molly last night and our mate from Brussels, Alysa, sat in to sing a few tunes.  Great to get out even if I'm not listening to much else.  And the playing's great.  A bit touchy for the first set but then settled in.  I jokingly suggested in an earlier post that we should practice less, but the improvement in the second set proves otherwise.  The second set with Alysa was  much more settled and comfortable.  And the clarity of the trio alone, after years and gigs together was self evident.  Great fun and thanks Alysa.

Alysa Ingles (vocals) sat in with Tilt Trio at Molly.  Tilt are James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).

We should practice less

Practice less?  I'm joking, of course.  It doesn't work that way.  But when we haven't played for a bit, for Covid or whatever, we play like the clappers.  It was like this last night at Molly.  Hot from the top on Stella.  I noticed my hands were in shape despite all, strong, producing nice tone, arm not hand and fingers making the quick runs.  The amp just seemed set right from the start.  That's always a good sign.  I'm listening back to a little recording and James and Dave are spot on, interactive, inquisitive.  Good stuff.  But I do tend to often claim best eva recently.  Maybe we are playing well or maybe I have stars in my eyes.  Either way, we got some good comment, met some nice audience, even from Musica Viva.  But the excitement never ends.  We had Richard sit in for a string of tunes in the second set and his sax sounds like gold (he's converted by a recent setup) and I snuck in a few funky numbers of my new toy, a Cort Curbow fretless e-bass.  I like it, all punchy and fat, although it does lack some tone of the double.  I was rough, not having played e-bass for perhaps 5 years, but was working out how to rest the palm and blurt over these little strings.  Much fun, very au courant in looks and a surprisingly good instrument.  So, much enjoyed.

Tilt Trio appeared as the James Woodman Trio at Molly.  Tilt are James Woodman (piano), Eric Pozza (bass) and Dave McDade (drums).  Richard Manderson (tenor) sat in.

Strangenesses

Gawd.  A few more best eva gigs and you could have tickets on yourself.  I guess it's age.  You get over playing for others, comparing, fretting and just accept you're as good as you'll ever be.  And you get better!  Strange, that.  How does that happen, I wonder?  But a great gig, none-the-less.  And several ideas for future projects.  And a really nice pale ale on tap.  Couldn't beg for more.

The James Woodman Trio (today AKA Tilt Trio) appeared at Molly.  In this incarnation, JWT is James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).

Band hang at Gang Gang

I'd had a coffee at Gang Gang Cafe one afternoon, but not gone to any gigs there.  I should have.  I've seen the names and they are a worthy summary of local players, jazz on Friday with Free entry and indie and other on other days, free or with a cover charge.  So we got to play last night and it was a hugely pleasant outing.  Seriously nice staff, a very decent beer on tap, comfy surroundings and easy parking.  It was cold and in Covid times, though, so not too many turned up.  The piano's not perfect, a bit well worn, but it is a Yamaha grand.  Likewise the PA, also mostly Yamaha.  The space was good, the audience gave some claps and we had a great outing.  Our recent Molly outing was somewhat a "best eva" gig and this wasn't too far off.  Much enjoyed.

Tilt Trio played at Gang Gang Cafe in Downer.  Tilt are James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).

It's the sex wot does it

It's a sobering experience to see those people admire your jazz but sit to it, then jump up for a DJ pop music set.  After those 10,000 mythical hours of practice it has come to this.  Now it's not all so dire.  Jazz is an intellectual form, more listened to than physically imbibed and pop music is more the immediate emotional response, the sex to the art's intellect.  But it's fun to do a DJ set and fun to jiggle with the dancing audience and it took nothing like the years of practice: just a few YouTube videos and browsing a manual and some pretty cheap gear and a search for funky CDs.  If I were being political, I might think of DJs as the music of neo-liberalism: never mind the art, feel the pay.  So, best just to recognise the differences than to question the outcomes.  They are different.  But doing the DJ sure was fun, even if our jazz set was one to be proud of, as good as we get, playing with space and interaction and harmonies and polyrhythms.  But sometimes the sex just wins out. 

Tilt Trio are James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).

Powerless

I don't write about all my jazz gigs, just when there's something notable or when we play with someone new.  Now this last gig had a few items of note.  First up was playing in a park with no power.  So I was working hard as bassist with no amp, and we couldn't play with piano, being unwilling to cart an acoustic piano.  So, this was the Tilt Sax Trio with Justin Buckingham.  It was interesting as a chordless trio, just bass line and melody/solo above.  And drums of course.  I liked the effect.  Just working our way through standards charts, starting at A; sounding open and clear, contrapuntal rather than harmonic.  It was hard work playing outside with now power, but the air was still so we heard pretty well (you can lose sound with a breeze) with the band adjusted to a lower volume.  But it was certainly a workout for this bassist's fingers/arms and it demanded some simplification.  That was nice, too.  The outcome was evident in my favourite solo for the day, slower, more clear in chordal statements, more mobile over the neck and through octaves.  Suffice to say, we enjoyed the gig and hope to do it again sometime.  Thanks Justin, great playing.  Oh, and one more thing to note.  We performed for a Commitment Ceremony.  That was also something new to me.  How the world changes!  So congratulations to Patrick and partner.

 Tilt sax trio were Justin Buckingham (alto), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).

Music is a hard task-master

But it can be fun!  Tilt was in the studio again.  It's entertaining but demanding.  We last recorded for a Friday Night Live session and it felt a little more comfortable this time around.  It was the same ArtSound studio but this time we didn't need to think of an audience, at least not immediate.  Here we could have a few gos, chat between, be a little adventurous, even indulgent, for a few hours.  Our tunes were all originals by James, other than a few individual and group improvs.  We'll see if something comes out of it.  BTW, for any muso who wants a recording outing, there's a recently tuned Yamaha grand just waiting with some nice gear in a nice space.  Thanks to Chris and Liam for doing their parts.

Tilt recorded at ArtSound FM's studio.  Tilt are James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).  Managing mics and decks were variously Chris Deacon and Liam O'Connell.

Near enough for jazz

Not really near enough, but it is relevant.  Tilt played another best-eva gig for the opening of the British Film Festival at Palace Electric.  BTW the pic isn't Tilt hard at it, but from the Festival film White Riot about late-70s punk in Britain.  The Clash, I think, from the Festival brochure.  Not sure what makes for these best-eva gigs.  A good day, good acoustics, good feel, volume, repertoire?  I fought for tone this time, but it worked in the end.  Concentrating on tone is physical, especially on the double bass, but it lets me relax into melody, so better solos.  And I was standing, so there's that sensuous aspect of poring over a big, old, clumsy, wooden instrument.  And we had to reduce volume when one film started, and that has its influence, adding to subtlety and care.  Whatever,  it worked and we had a ball.

Tilt Trio played at Palace Electric.  Tilt are James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).

Pic an excuse

Tilt played another gig at Molly last week.  We had just a little competition on the night: the US Presidential Election and State of Origin.  Nonetheless we got listeners and they were stayers, so all was well on the night.  I've got to little else recently and otherwise nothing particularly to mention here so it didn't get a run earlier.  But I like this pic from Layla, with cocktails front and centre while we strived in our profound artistic pursuits (!).  Good gig though; much enjoyed.

Tilt Trio comprises James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).

Best eva

Megan says that I report every gig as the "best eva".  I don't think I do, quite, but this one really was.  Maybe it was getting up again on stage.  With Covid, it's relatively rare for all players.  This was only my third jazz gig since March.  But it all just seemed to gel.  Sometime it does.  I remember reading Leonard Cohen's novel decades back and he said that about performing.  I have always thought it's not particularly professional - we should we able to play decently whenever called - but there's some truth in it.  Sometimes your hands are just not in, or it's cold or the sound doesn't work, and that's particularly an issue with double bass.  But last night I could hear myself so well with my mammoth, heavy Eden amp, relax into the tone and the tunes and interactions with James and Dave.  So I was enjoying it, my hands were supple and quick, and I found it a great night.  But then last time on this stage in a duo with James was good too.  Was that the best eva?  Well, it's difficult to say...

Tilt Trio comprises James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).  They played at Molly.

Welcome return

It's great to be back playing in public again. Tilt played its first post-Covid-19 gig last night. Let's hope that we remain in post-Covid times. Nothing certain there. Molly had a decent turnout, but it can only allow a smaller number to enter. But the stage was good, there's a PA so the lug was reasonable and we played well, so all was well with the world. Strangely, my last pre-Covid report was a Friday night jam on this very stage. I didn't even manage a pic, so I'll pull out an oldie. But nice to be back.  And nice to play a lot of James' tunes and a few fave standards.

Tilt Trio are James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass)

Radio waves

Finally we've made the radio. Tilt Trio recorded a session at ArtSound way back in August. Since then, we've played gigs, travelled, ArtSound has undergone challenges (still underway), but finally our session has been broadcast. It's a humbling experience to hear yourself on radio, but I expected nothing less. Some nice playing but also some needs for improvement. All inevitable and the daily experience of music. But thanks to Chris Deacon for his huge efforts over time for radio in Canberra and specifically Friday Night Live and his recording of Tilt. And thanks to ArtSound, such a gem of culture in Canberra. Thanks, too, to James and Dave for the great playing. Greetings from ArtSound live.

Tilt Trio were broadcast on ArtSound. Chris Deacon (audio) recorded and hosted. Tilt are James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).

Hard work

My first gigs were with pop and rock bands way back and I remember the standard gig as 4 hours. These days, such a time seems unusual, too long, but Tilt did one the other night. And, come to think of it, we did another at a party just a few weeks before. It's hard work. Setting up, then playing, then dismantling. Mostly we play 2 or 3 hours or thereabouts these days. I particularly like the 90-min single set as a concert-like format: long enough to warm up and stretch out, but not so long that you tire. I play double bass now, so that's much more effort than the old e-bass. In this case, the 4 hours gig on a Saturday night was sandwiched between Musica da Camera gigs on Sat and Sun afternoons, one in Cooma, and otherwise the weekend was long and busy with other activities. We managed the gig with 3 long sets and just one slightly lengthened break for a shortish speech. Despite the hard work, the gig was immense fun. We played well; the family was in good spirits and was enjoying each other and the music; the theme was James Bond and we played influences from that. All in all, a great outing in a busy weekend, but wouldn't have missed it for quids.

Tilt Trio played a Bond themed party. Tilt are James Woodman (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass).

Thanks to Wikicommons for the James Bond pic. Sean Connery as James Bond in Amsterdam in Diamonds are forever. Pic by Rob Mieremet; provided with permission by the Dutch National Archives.

Normality

Ah, things start to go back to normal. This was my first gig after returning from Europe. Tilt played at Pialligo Estate for a private function. I was working through my bass that sounds great after recent work but feels distinctly different. James couldn't make it but old mate Ross Buchanan filled in and it went a treat. A few people came up in the last break to thank us. That's nice. Musicians? Yes, conductor. Conduct what orchestra? London Phil. London Philharmonic Orchestra?!? Yes ... and various other Euro orchestras. And you play too? Yes, flute, and involved with management of Sydney Youth Orch. This was Matthew Wood and Roslyn Perry, now in Sydney after some time in Europe and a cousin of the celebrating family. Lovely couple with serious skills. So the last set of a long night was a little more testing, being the last of a four hour gig and playing for such illustrious guests, but not for anything Matthew and Roslyn said or did. They were great listeners and eminently supportive of fellow musos. A pleasure to play for them and host Mycaila and her very lovely extended family. And to play it with Ross.

Tilt Trio were Ross Buchanan (piano), Dave McDade (drums) and Eric Pozza (bass) and our muso guests were Matthew Wood (conductor) and Roslyn Perry (flute).