WK3 saving the day

I'm bemoaning the dearth of jazz in town these days, but Wayne Kelly has started up a Tuesday evening session at Old Canberra Inn. Free entry; food and drinks available; a jam session each month. It's great to see such a jazz hangout reappear, and with such great local players. The core band is the reignited Wayne Kelly trio with offsiders Ben O'Loghlin and Mark Sutton. It's a hot and clean trio with plenty of sharp driving solos, some standards singing from Ben, some playful snaps from Mark. It's dark, historical (authentic slab hut construction built 1857, first licensed 1876), comfy and warm in this winter and nicely informal. I caught Wayne's trio playing, then a trio with David Lole and Ben and Mark, then David for some solos, and I got to sit in with Wayne and Mark and David. Great fun and thanks to Ben and the rest.

Wayne Kelly (piano) plays weekly 6.30-8.30 Tuesdays with Ben O'Loghlin (bass, vocals) and Mark Sutton (drums) at the Old Canberra Inn. David Lole (piano) and Eric Pozza (bass) sat in.

BTW, this has special relevance for CJ. This very trio was the first to get a pic and writeup on CJ in Nov 2005.

Turossing it (Moruya 2011/3)

Duck was unexpected and refreshing band: guys just having fun and music you just hang out to dance to. Josie led this funky, R&B outfit playing’60s tunes like the Stylistics and the classic political protest song, What’s going on. This was deadened thumbed bass, off-beat drum fills, beaming synth solos and an overdriven guitar solo at the end that gave me goosebumps. And Josie, cool and contagious out front. The only goosebumps I had all weekend. Duck comprised Josie Jensen (vocals), Callum Stewart (keys), Matt Dixon (guitar), Caleb Wearne (bass) and Sam McNair (drums).

I caught a family outing in two bands: father David Lole led a quartet performing mainstream featuring Melbourne saxist Roger Clark. His daughter is ANU student Rachel Lole who led a band playing delightful interpretations of the standards repertoire. David Lole (piano) led a quartet with Melbournites Roger Clark (tenor) and Alan Richards (drums) and student Caleb Wearne (bass). Rachel Lole (vocals) led a quartet with Clare Dawson (piano), Jared Plane (bass) and Henry Rasmussen (drums).