One back for Wagner

Gossips played a gig yesterday for the C100 celebrations. I don’t list every gig, but I do when we have someone new sitting in. Brenton’s in NYC or thereabouts, so we played with Steve Richards on drums and that went well. He’s got some time at Sydney Con as well as musicals under his belt. I’d written about one of his musicals here – West Side Story at the Q. His wife was there, too, in the West Side Story pit and at the gig today. She’s Carly Brown, a horn player with the CSO, so we had a knowing audience. It was Carly and 3 horn-playing mates who were blasting Megan and me in the wings the other day at the Wagner rehearsal at Llewellyn. She had it coming to her! Nice gig, though.

Just a gig

I haven’t mentioned many of my own gigs recently, but there’s some interest here. Firstly, a different drummer as Brenton was not available. Rhys Lintern sat in and thanks to him for pleasant company and some nicely settled rhythms. Otherwise, I enjoyed a technical breakthrough with my right hand, which is only of interest to bassists. I’ll refrain here from the details (not easy), but happy to chat at any time to bassists about strings and technique and the like. Who am I kidding? I’m usually the one who brings the subject up, anyway.

From the pumpkin patch

It’s a brave soul who will demean a gardener’s pumpkin patch, so it was quite an honour that the host had cleared it out for the band to have a spot to play. So was the story recounted. We were standing on cement; I think pumpkins have runners. Goss4 was playing a gig in a back yard in Yarralumla. It was a Garden Party and all were dressed appropriately. I wish I had pics of some of the women in flapper attire. It was a luscious and playful era and the 20/30-something dressers were dashing and attractive – men and women. It’s nice to see the generations. This was a 30th birthday and I reckon there were 4 generations present. The band dressed too, but we can only be so grand. Here’s a pic. Nice playing, though, and nice wine, nice company and surprisingly nice weather. Much enjoyed.

Rhythm methods

Gossips played at gig last Friday night with singer / blues harpist DJ Gosper sitting in for Gossipist Leanne. It was a great gig. I noticed first off during our take on Herbie Hancock’s Chameleon. It’s a common enough tune and I’ve played it many times, but this felt sharp and tight with that lucid melody over the top of choppy clavinet-style keys from Mike and crisscrossing rhythms from Brenton and me. Great fun. Then some unusual takes from DJ and Goss on any number of well known songs. DJ comes from the blues traditions. She sings with a strong, impassioned voice; she performs with a sense of steady structure and solo form; she solos with blues harp and blues scales. It’s a fascinatingly different take on tunes and I, for one, heard them anew. Great fun.

This was Goulburn and Megan and I took the opportunity to duck down to see friends in Sydney. On the way back, we stopped at a winery for coffee expecting country calm and a Euro-chic cellar door experience. Certainly the surroundings, the gardens and flowers suggested it. But we got something else. We’d happened on a 4-day (!) Taikoz Taiko drumming workshop. This is earthy and elemental Japanese drumming and very far from the synopated Afro-Cuban stuff of jazz. It's simple, heavy, meditative and can be terrifyingly loud. I enjoyed it and other visitors joked of it but, at least indoors, it was too much for these ears. A very different rhythm method.

Gossips played with DJ Gosper at the Tattersalls Pub in Goulburn. The Taikoz Taiko workshop was held over the Australia Day long-weekend at the Elling Forest Winery.

Visiting Gossipist

Gossips played a gig at Bite to Eat Café last Sunday and it was a good one. It was a fine, warm Spring afternoon with kids cavorting in the park outside and parents indulging in tapas and local boutique brews. And the host, Katherine, is great fun. But just a few pics Gossips and the band with Leanne’s niece, Laura Nuttall, who sat in for a tune. I lost her on the PA, but Leanne confirms a strong voice and good pitch. So here’s the next generation. Thanks for singing with us, Laura.

Cosmo2

Gossips played over the weekend at the 2011 Cosmo Cabaret fund-raiser for Timor. Other returnees were soprano Kirsten Mann and The Cashews. Newbies this year were Anton Wurzer and the K-Motion dancers presenting a display on Argentinian tango. A busy night of varied entertainment and goodwill and chatter.

Gossips opened with a short set. We touched on the ‘40s theme of last year, but there was more a sweep of the 20th Century. Leanne even got to revisit a Goth past when we played Love cats. Most fun was the set with Anton, but more on that later. Kristen was again accompanied by Mike, but she sang a more earthy set this year. Firstly an Erik Satie song, obviously in French and more folksome than last year’s Debussy, but later a Celtic-sounding song of a barmaid who makes some extra money on the side from disreputable activities. The soprano technique does not make for lyrics that are easy to understand, but we got the message. The Cashews followed with their wonderful, sometimes touching, always clever songs of Canberra life presented with smiles and wit and exemplary interaction with the audience. Alison and Pete have the sweetest of mingling voices and unobtrusive harmonies and match it with a decent folksy instrumental technique. And was that an 8-string uke that Pete played?

The K-Motion dancers came after the break. The tango is a thing of some interest in jazz circles, but I only see the dance in films. It started with four couples that form from an inner circle surrounding the dance floor. The male, red jacketed, seeks a female and the sultry, seductive encounter begins. This is tightly framed, closely moving dance, bodies close and suggestive, even if faces are distant and formal. Anton followed with a solo set of lively, flexible tunes from fleeting fingers. There was some humour to end with a medley that included Stairway to Heaven, but mostly it was busy, enlivened improvisation. Anton plays a hot accordion, and I love that sound. It’s not one that we often hear in jazz, and perhaps the only one that we hear in jazz in Canberra, but it deserves more popularity. Perhaps it’s my Italian background but I love that sound and Anton plays with vigour and fluency and improvisational skills that makes it such a pleasure. Gossips returned for a few final tunes with Anton, and this is where I particularly noticed. One was a boppy 5/4 original by Anton, another was a hot bop blues, but it was Bluesette that particularly fitted. It’s a composition of Toots Thielemans so the tone fits perfectly with the snappy wind tone of the accordion.

So a very pleasant night of considerable variation and some new exposures. Much enjoyed. The Gossips are Leanne Dempsey (vocals), Mike Dooley (piano), Richard Manderson (saxes), Eric Pozza (bass) and Brenton Holmes (drums). Kirsten Mann (voice soprano) was accompanied by Mike Dooley (piano). The Cashews are Pete Lyon (vocals, guitar) and Alison Procter (vocals, guitar, accordion). In individual K-Motion dancers are unknown to CJ. Anton Wurzer (piano accordion) performed solo and with the Gossips. And this all happened at the Second annual Cosmopolitan Cabaret in Curtin.

Simeon says

It’s been a quiet time for the Gossips, but we managed a gig yesterday. Thanks to Simeon Staker for filling in for our absent Brenton. And Mike for singing a few tunes to cover for our injured Leanne. I like the way that jazz bands morph with availability and there’s no better way for musicians to get acquainted than by playing a gig together. Thanks to Simeon: very well done and much enjoyed. Simeon plays with Gossips again on Friday evening at 1927 Bar, East Row, Civic. Drop in if you’re passing by. Free entry.

Out and about

Just some pics of recent days. Firstly, an amusing bit of street art around the Jazz School. Then Gossips with Liam Budge. Leanne was getting over the flu and Liam happened to drop by, so we got him to sit in for a set. Good hard swings, some live transposition (good for the ear) and nice singing and scatting. Thanks to Liam. Lastly, one of 1927 Bar last Friday with host Leonardo.

Big gig

It was the first time I’d played in Parliament House and it was the Great Hall, so in terms of a gig this was big. We were providing background music for the dinner of a national industry conference with guest politicians and diplomats and it was all choreographed and controlled: a big event management activity, with lots of staff and perfect presentation and speeches and videos on massive screens. But in terms of music, it was not too big. We were playing comfortably at acoustic level and this was quite adequate despite the grand space, the sound was open, Mike had a large Yamaha grand and it sounded solid and clear. We managed one decent set during the main course, but mostly it was just a few tunes between speeches. Mike got a longer solo piano set behind desert and snuck in a Chopin waltz (C#min) which added some time-honoured class. We got some (unexpected) applause after our All blues, and we played capably and started and stopped when flagged by the event manager. It was an easy gig except for setup. Everything needed to be x-rayed, and double bass refuses to fit in the small machines at the Parliament entrance, so it was the loading dock in the afternoon. This was interesting enough the first time, but it could easily become tiresome. Lauren said to me the other day that she finds it a buzz to play at special locations. So do I. I’m still living off my story of playing for Rupert Murdoch, the then PM (who arrived by helicopter, much to the amusement of a visiting US newspaper editor who must have seen it all) and other Australian and US dignitaries on Murdoch’s local farm many years back. There are no particular stories from this gig, but none-the-less it’s a good one for the scrapbook.

Nothing like playing

There’s nothing like playing. I missed what must have been an excellent gig the other night (Jonathon Zwartz was in town) but there’s nothing like playing. A few hours of your own gig makes the practice and commitment of time and energy worthwhile. Gossips played in another formation last night. This was instrumental, Real Book, Shorter-ly. Richard loves his Wayne Shorter but there’s not so much opportunity amongst the cabaret standards, but a night without a singer offered the real chance. We played more Joe Henderson than Shorter, but the simple modern forms with non-tonal harmonies were there. Also unusual (for us) was a house-style jam (slowish, bass on 1-2, snare on 3, one chord) that developed as a Bitches Brew-era jazz rock. And we even fitted in a few songs when an old mate, Caroline Faucher dropped in. Great night; nice, lively cocktail audience; too bad about missing Jonathon. Thanks to Callum who helped out, and Caroline who sat in for a few songs.

Percolations

Gossips were Mike-less again for a private gig in Ainslie last night, and we were lucky enough to get Callum Stewart to sit in on keys. Most memorable for me were several sublime swings and a few solos but also the oleaginous, percolating synth sounds emanating from Callum’s Nord during our Hancock Chameleon. Nicely modern and a change from piano. Also a few interesting tunes I’d suggested but we didn’t manage to do: Windows, Jelly Roll, Inner urge, Lament and Never will I marry. Perhaps next time. Commonly enough, we dropped back to the normal repertoire but played well so all was OK. Thanks to Callum. Nicely played and much enjoyed.

Who’s a pretty polly?

One or all of us. Andy Campbell sat in with Gossips for a gig at 1927 while Mike was hanging at the Casino. Thanks to Andy. Lots of fun to play with a fast, distorted guitar again after so many piano gigs, and especially to indulge in some lengthy solos. After all, why are we playing if not for the solos?

Sitting in

Just a few pics. Gossips had a great little gig last night with Mark Body sitting in on drums when Brenton was not available. I’ve played with Mark before, but the rest of the band hadn’t met him before last night. Mike joked that “it’s one of those gigs where you finish the night and ask again what’s the drummer’s name”. Mark played easily and steadily on a range of tunes that he’d played or not played or not heard. Drummers can do that more easily than most, but he did well to handle some extra 2/4 bars in one tune that could turn the beat. And several decent solos, too. This gig had another sit-in, this time from the floor. I hadn’t met Perrin Lionis before. He’s a pianist who’s currently at the jazz school. We chatted at the gig and Perrin took the piano stool for three tunes (Beautiful love, Ladybird and All blues). He’s a current student so has that seriousness of artistic intent and immersion that comes from playing and studying full time. Great stuff, much enjoyed. Thanks to both Mark and Perrin. Excuse the fuzzy pics – I only had my mobile.

Jocie and friends

Gossips played a gig recently with Jocie Jensen sitting in at Bite to Eat Café. There were lots of friends there, and that was fun, and the music was casual and entertaining. Thanks to Jocie and congratulations. She got some very positive comments from fellow singers and that’s something to note. Just two sets. Here are some pics. On the day, Gossips featured Jocie Jensen (vocals) with Mike Dooley (piano), Richard Manderson (tenor, soprano sax), Eric Pozza (bass) and Brenton Holmes (drums).

Doggy tea

Another nicely relaxed gig at Adore, this time with the Gossips vocal quartet. For that, I mean Gossips without sax; just piano, bass, drums, vocals. Mike expanded his role with some acoustic guitar on some bossas, and also a surprisingly effective voice on a bluesy number.

But it’s the community at a relaxed gig like this that’s fun. I met a retired bassist (Ray Newland from bands The Midnight Five and The Newlanders) who shared the same Melbourne musical scene as the Seekers before their fame. And the cutest of young girls: an 8-week old miniature black and tan dachshund. The human babies I saw were also cute, but we have a dachy at home (Chips, ~10yo) and we’re suckers for him, so any dachy’s a friend of mine. Just one pic - I promise.

U Can Two

Gossips have recently played two private gigs at the University of Canberra. They were amusing and pleasant gigs, although the role was background and the music considerably toned down. But we had a good time anyway. Here are a few pics from the gigs, a unrecognisable mix of pics from the two gigs (the performances were in the same room). Good fun and some cool swing - just hope for many more.

CosmoCab

What a fascinating night it was! The Cosmopolitan Cabaret was a fundraiser for two development projects in Timor, one for micro finance in West Timor and another for sustainable farming in East Timor. The audience was committed, friendly, intelligent and the performers were diverse, local and interesting. It was not your normal display of jazz chops. This show covered folk, rock, classical song and cabaret-jazz. My band, the Gossips, started up with the cabaret-jazz playing ‘40s-era tunes with a cabaret bent: Ellington, bop, latin, even war-time singalongs. Great fun and some decent soloing all round. Congrats, guys … and our Darling Sister Leanne. Then Drew Walky with punk-cum-mod singer-songwriter songs of Canberra. This was interesting lyrics, strummed strat and a great line in dry vegetal stage humour and some amazingly capable number guessing from the audience. Then soprano Kristen Mann singing several songs by Debussy accompanied by Gossip Mike Dooley on piano: a change and a delight. A wonderfully strong and serene soprano voice filling a reverberent hall; no PA wanted or needed. Delicious! Then the fabulous Cashews. The Cashews are Pete Lyon and Alison Procter and are a Canberra alt institution. Famed for guerilla gigs (I dream of this, but it doesn’t work quite as neatly with double bass), clever, humourous, sometimes touching lyrics, easy and pleasant stage patter, these are a gem. The harmonies are so sweet, the ambience is light and humourous, the playing is capable and the songwriting is relevant and intelligent. Don’t miss their “acoustic-brain-pop”. Then more rock-influence with Andrew Holmes and Naomi Milthorpe performing songs of Ryan Adams. Not nearly so humourous. [Wikipedia notes that Ryan Adams recorded one album called the Suicide Handbook which was rejected on the grounds that it was "too sad". Hardly Cashews territory.] The end of the night was Gossips for our second set. So, a great night. Lots of varied sounds and emotions and a good cause.

The Gossips are Leanne Dempsey (vocals), Richard Manderson (sax), Mike Dooley (piano), Eric Pozza (bass) and Brenton Holmes (drums). Drew Walky played guitar and sang. Kristen Mann (soprano) sang Debussy with Mike Dooley (piano). The Cashews are Pete Lyon (vocals, guitar) and Alison Procter (vocals, guitar, accordion, supermum). Naomi Milthorpe (vocals) and Andrew Holmes (vocals, guitar) performed songs of Ryan Adams.