revolutionaries

We were being revolutionary in the ACT sense, performing at Smiths' National Anti-Folk Festival, day 3. I was there to perform one song from my home-studio identity, The Pots, as an adjunct to MDM Nightingale, a mate from Melbourne.  The acts all had an hour slot (even if some were careless) and I only stayed for 3 and a bit, but what impressed me was the variation, not just the quality.  First up was Mdm Nightingale with her electronic pop.  I love pop and Phaedra does a great take on it.  I wish her the best.  Then Robbie Mann on clarinet, a secondary instrument to his stride piano, with Liam O'Connell on a century-old guitar sounding all the world like the era.  They played early jazz styles, first up Bill Bailey.  Nicely done.  Then a guitar trio, a la Hendrix and the like, Transista Groove.  I'd heard of them but not heard them, or essentially anyone quite so loud and guitary, for some time.  Mostly originals, I think, with a homage to Led Zeppelin called Lez Zeppelin, apparently with lyrics fully derived from the titles of LZ songs.  I felt the lyrics worked well and quite casually, so hard to believe this was only song names, but there are many LZ albums so maybe.  They finished with a cover, starting with riff from Chain, I think, then into Voodoo Chile.  Hendrix suited them to a tee.  Then just a first song from singer songwriter James Cahill.  He was described as acoustic tales and tunes, and the storytelling was clear and telling.  I was impressed even if I heard little.  There had been two previous NAFF sessions and this one was to go on for four more acts and just those four had been of considerable quality.  And another session... Clever town.

Amongst many others, Madame Nightingale, The Pots, Robbie Mann, Liam O'Connell, Transista Groove and James Cahill performed for the National Anti-Folk Festival at Smiths.

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.

Tourists

Every few months I go on tour. This last one was to Gunning. Before, it's been to Cooma and Goulburn. Big time ... not at all, but entertaining if unpaid. Musica da Camera is my string orchestra that plays three of four times each year pairing its concerts with one at Cook on Saturday and a repeat at a local country town on Sunday. Each concert is directed by an invited musical director, perhaps with an invited soloist. If not, by a member of the group. MdC has been around for 40 years and it's been working this way for sometime (well before my time which is only ~18 months back). And this group is good, comprising various teachers and professionals and serious amateurs and inviting some great local guests. This concert was directed by Jonathan McFeat, now of Sydney, with early jazz banjo/guitarist, Liam O'Connell. A possible commission fell through but the program was fascinating none-the-less: Vivaldi, Faure, Warlock, Handel, Mendelssohn, Sibelius. The Vivaldi and Handel were par for the course and always much loved. The Mendelssohn was a blast, his Symphony no.10 that combines three movements into a single whole and drives along at a mighty pace. The Faure was his widely known Pavane, and the Sibelius, his Impromptu no.5&6, was a pairing played as one and the most well received of all from the comments I heard. It was beautiful. But perhaps the Warlock Capriol suite was the most unexpected of all. Harking back to medieaval or old folk with twisted dance sequences, a pavane but also a Bransles and a Tordion and a Mattachins (?), all jumpy and unexpected. I liked it all, partly because it was so tricky. But the prize for the unexpected probably goes to the guitar and strings arrangement of Faure Pavane and even more to the solo banjo rendition of Lionel Belasco Miranda, jazz/calypso from ~1915. Banjo and strings. A strange combination but it's all music. Congratulations and thanks too all: great music all round.

Musica da Camera performed at Cook and Gunning under Jonathan McFeat (conductor) with Liam O'Connell (guitar, banjo).