Transit lounge

Jazz-trained players don’t just play jazz. Jazz training is a catch-all for a range of syncopated, modern styles and the forefront of jazz has always been a sponge for influences. Last night, I caught Dub Dub Goose and Los Chavos. DDG is a dub/reggae band, and Los Chavos is a latin outfit. Both play insinuating styles that appeal broadly and get the dancers on the floor, and both are seeded with local jazz training.

Firstly, Dub Dub Goose. I hadn’t heard them since their first gig at Moruya a few years ago. The Goose is now much more developed, more purposeful and confident, and with a CD under its belt. The band has a firm lead from Beth Monzo, who plays guitar and sings out front. I presume she writes a good deal of the quirky, entertaining and (age-)relevant lyrics. The combination of a strident and uncompromising female voice, the vibrant horns and energy and good humour make this a thoroughly entertaining outfit.

I have also written here of Los Chavos, when they played at the launch of the Canberra Musicians Club. They were good then; they are now that much more alive and confident. Latin is perhaps the master beat of the rhythmic universe, so it’s no surprise to see the dancers pop up when they get going. Again, there’s a front line of horns, and inevitable percussion and interestingly a keytar (someone told me this is what this strange over-the-shoulder keyboard is called, as has been used by Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock and a string of boy bands). I expected simple melodic lines, but Alex Carder was playing some interesting chordal fills with bends, so the instrument defied my prejudices. Otherwise, I noticed the commitment and joy that Andy Jauregui sings with, and also drummer Amanda Waite. I was standing beside the stage when I was surprised by her competent introduction: clear and immediate, seeming to come from nowhere, and leading the band into an instant solid groove.

DDG and Los Chavos were playing at the Transit Bar. It’s quite different from most jazz venues, of course. These bars are more beer-spilled, younger places with pool tables, punchy PAs and DJs in the breaks that are louder than the bands. I liked it. I was there with my two sons, but I even came across an old mate from the Blues Club, obviously determined to grow old disgracefully. So should we all.

Dub Dub Goose were Beth Monzo (vocals, guitar), Nick Combe (bari sax), Reuben Lewis (cornet), Valdis Thoman (trombone), Matt Lustri (guitar), Ben Fowler (bass), Matt Sykes (drums). Los Chavos were Andy Jauregui (vocals), Valdis Thomann (trombone, vocals), Corey Booth (trumpet, vocals), Amanda Waite (drums), Simon Milman (bass), Alex Carder (keys), Matt Lustri (guitar).

Not too big (Moruya 3)

Moruya’s not a big festival, but it’s intimate and relaxed and a lovely weekend at the coast for the performers and aficionados. It’s a holiday atmosphere: cheap, friendly, easy-going, shorts on stage, and the weather’s generous so mornings are on the beach rather than in the bars. But the music’s good, too. There’s a range of bands from the students at the Jazz School, sometimes formed for one performance at Moruya. The names usually give those away. But there’s also the teachers and their slick and virtuosic performances, a range of amateur or semi-professional players, and a spattering of the popular (less demanding, but better paid and more entertaining) feature artists. I mostly miss those feature bands, but they always draw the big crowds. I love the large ensembles, and the Jazz School always provides the Commercial Band, the Big Band and the Recording Ensemble. All different, and all big and exciting and rich sounding. For me, it was the Recording Ensemble that blew me away this year. They were having a great time (Sebastian McIntosh was in fine and dry form as MC), blowing hard, and playing original charts. Miro leads this band and he asks for, and gets, original charts, and creative input from the students. Congrats due here.

I didn’t catch the whole festival this year, given my relaxed demeanour, the languid temperatures and the pleasant housemates, but here’s my report.

Drummers seemed to be in abundance. Fantastic Woollen Fishing Rod (named for the occasion, I expect) was a quartet of trumpet, alto and two drummers. It was an odd mix, but a nice experiment. Andrew Fedorovitch (alto) played with Shane Spellman (trumpet) and John Wilton and Jono Lake (2 x drums). The Recording Ensemble was also doubling up on drummers (and more) but more on that later.

The Melds appeared after a great outing on ArtSound in recent weeks. They featured 3 drummers, and finished with a drum feature with synth guitar accompaniment. The band seems pretty fluid, as the membership was different from the ArtSound outing. Shouldn’t be a problem, as it’s largely free, sustained, layered improvisations on fairly simple themes, but very compelling. I was amused to overhear at one stage this snippet from the stage: “Don’t stop now. See what happens”. And, of course, it did develop and it was compelling. It was a nice bit of adventurism. The Melds were led by Matt Sykes (drums), with Matt Lustri (synth guitar), Chris Pound (bass), Andy Campbell (guitar), Jo Lloyd (alto), Reuben Lewis (trumpet), Hugh Deacon (drums), John Wildon (drums) and Valdis Thomann (trombone).

Dub Dub Goose is equally capable, but very different, being a dub/reggae outfit led by Nick Combe. Nick’s impressed me over recent years with compositions for the Recording Ensemble. Apparently he has a penchant for reggae, and the opportunity to perform it with capable players. This was another big outfit that probably expanded on the day. Reggae (or dub?) is an attractive style, and indulgently stupefying. I enjoyed the start with tunes by Ernest Raglan, but I found it a stretch by the end of the set. They mercifully finished with something different which I liked and found refreshing, a 7/4 with lush orchestration. But it was well done, and my response says more about my preferences than the music. Nick Combe (tenor) led Reuben Lewis (trumpet), Sophie Chapman (trombone), Matt Sykes (drums), Matt Lustri (guitar), Chris Pound (bass), Austin Benjamin/Bucket (piano), James LeFevre (tenor), Alistair Clarke (trombone), Valdis Thomann (trombone) and Alex Raupach (trumpet).

The Lethals are a hot, funky, loud outfit led by hot, funky Leigh “Lethal” Miller (bass) with Neils Rosendahl (tenor), Aron Lyon (guitar) and Sam Young (drums). They were a big hit. I heard them twice. Obviously the darker evening hours suited the flamboyant performance, but he morning gig was good, too. These guys are supremely professional. No-one overplayed. There were lots of notes, but they fitted without being forced. There was Weather Report and Jaco (Teen town) and Soulive, and some originals, so the heads were challenging, but the essence of the band was tight, hard blowing, and they did it with panache. Niels always impresses, and Aron was fluidity and fast, smooth runs and loops and echo and the rest. Great fun, loud, engaging and popular. A blowout and terrible to follow!

Sally Greenaway toned things down with a lovely, arranged set and a capable band. Sally is renowned as a prize-winning composer, so we can expect new and original compositions when she plays. But these are not blowing tunes; they are emotionally satisfying numbers with apt and developed stylistic approaches. Tunes included an arrangement of Smile in 5/4, a funky Stefon Harris tune, a Vince Jones ballad, and several originals. Her band’s good too. The Sally Greenaway Project included Sally (piano), Raf Jurgen (bass), Ed Rodrigues (drums), Niels Rosendahl (tenor), Valdis Thomann (trombone) and Marie LeBrun (vocals).

Flavours over layers and a nice march

I’ve noticed that student music has been wonderfully varied recently. Not to say I don’t like standards; I do. But it’s exciting to hear new music, and doubly so when it’s so unpredictable and in such varying styles.

Matt Sykes presented his largish band, The Melds, last night as a Friday Night Live concert on ArtSound. Just the makeup of the band told you this was different: nine players, three guitars. Sounds interesting before you hear a note. Then it all starts with pedal bass, polyrhythmic drums, layers of guitar colours, organ pads, then a recursive melody on the horns, references to sustained grooves a la Bitches Brew. The band continued without a stop into another harmonically simple tune with repetitive trombone melody; again richly layered with complex tonalities, again with crossing rhythms from various instruments. I’m wondering, who’s conducting this? I’m also wondering why it is that trombone players are so often so simply and perfectly melodic. Continuing into thin, effected guitar chords with other guitar sounds layered over, and another simple, pensive, recursive melody and some sweet horn harmonies. A wonderful solo on trumpet; a stunning response on alto. Wailing un-guitar tones reminiscent of Scofield synth play and a ‘bone solo. Still no break; now three tunes running a long medley; perhaps 25 minutes. Hypnotic, soothing, emollient. A break for a Hymn for leaving; balladic, developing into a relatively bouncy two feel, and a blissful alto solo. And that organ again. But there’s no keyboard; just guitars. The other guitars are effected, but Matt Lustri’s more bizarre, toying with Mike Price’s Roland guitar synth on loan: pads, organs; unreal tones or tones only too real like Hammonds and even steel drums.

After the break, a bass solo intro, and those steel drums just making the lightly swinging Caribbean tune sound the part. This is where we noticed the good humour. Lots of guys jumping and laughing. This is a group of students, after all. Prime of life stuff. Mates having a ball but musically serious despite the jocularity. Then something that verged on the more mainstream, and another searing alto solo from Joe Lloyd. Then a bouncing European march, a complex piece reminiscent of the great Carla Bley: Simon Milman’s Explorations in clown music. The concert ended with a seemingly free improvisation of reversed sounds and cacophonies. I was in the studio at this time. Simon was conductor and guide; Valdis was the stentorian voice calling the end … to considerble mirth! The end to a fabulously entertaining and category-challenging concert. Great work, guys. A blowout! Loved it.

The Melds are led by Matt Sykes (drums) with Simon Milman (bass), Matt Lustri (synthesiser guitar), Adam Guzowski (guitar and effects), Andy Campbell (guitar and effects), Valdis Thomann (trombone), Reuben Lewis (trumpet), Joe Lloyd (alto saxophone) and guest Hugh Deacon (percussion).

Slower cooking, many cooks

Joe Lloyd’s Quartet appeared as host band at a very busy Jazz@Folkus jam session this weekend. Busy with an array of different players, and sadly even a band that didn’t make it on. Very honourable of Cam who runs the show, because it was his band that missed out. The turnout was nothing special this week, so come to support Folkus so we maintain this open session.

Joe set the scene with a wonderful set that took us back to the early 60s and shades of Coltrane through a series of original compositions. Joe presented three movements of a suite he is writing, and which we may expect to hear recorded sometime next year, as well as Slow cooker, a response to the John Mackey tune, Pressure cooker. I could hear Trane in Joe’s phrasing and sense of dissonance, but apparently his major influence is Kenny Garrett. Luke accompanied with a matching style of the era: I heard phrasing and fourth chords reminiscent of McCoy Tyner, so the image was set. Hannah was strong on bass lines and steady rhythms, and even led with some melodic playing at one time, and joined Luke for some interesting duo passages. Matt was solid and responsive and occasionally explosive. He obviously enjoyed these outbursts, and I noticed several smiles on his face with the more brash crashes. Matt also provided two tunes which fitted neatly in style and presence with Joe’s, one called River and the other called Fleeting. Truly an agreeable set, and one which set a demanding level of performance for others to match.

Round Midnight followed. RM are a pair of players from Bateman’s Bay: Ian (missed his surname) on guitar, and Keith Joliffe on bass. I know Keith through emails as one of the organising committee for the Moruya Jazz Festival. RM played a set of jazz and popular standards with midi accompaniment. Nice to have out of town visitors.

Anton Wurzer followed with three tunes. Anton is a wonderfully competent piano accordion player. Now, that’s not an instrument you expect at a jazz session, but Anton has been a student at the Jazz school, and plays a truly solid, inventive, occasionally out style of playing. There’s always the hint of bandenonean and French street scapes, and the tonality of a piano accordion seems a bit thin to me, but he plays fabulously rich interpretations of the standards repertoire with rock solid rhythms, and even sat in comfortably on a Wayne Shorter blow later in the day. Anton is a powerful, solid, inventive player, even if on a jazz instrument of less common stature. Check him out. Highly recommended!

My jazz band Toucani got to present four tunes, all originals. We played pretty well, and better than last time, but still can develop. But I’m proud that we can do whole sets of original compositions of some interest and complexity. Daniel wrote two: a solid post-bop piece, That call, and straight eight, Bill Evans style, Maxim. I debuted a piece which is to be played very tongue in cheek, Snakes alive, and we played a favourite of mine in 5/4, Fifty four. All a bit rushed and unsettled, but OK.

The day ended with a short blow. Joe Lloyd and crew were the mainstay for a blues with Anton. Next was Blue bossa with Hugh Deacon sitting in on drums, Daniel Wild on piano, and Eric Pozza playing acoustic bass (my first public performance on the big bass ... thanks again, Hannah). Next I suggested Wayne Shorter’s Prince of darkness, and it went off a fast post-bop treat. To end, Hannah and Luke returned for a final tune.

It was a pleasant outing with some very interesting music at times, and a great range of styles. Get along, and support Jazz@Folkus on the third Saturday of each month. Free for musos.

Joe Lloyd Quartet comprised Joe Lloyd (alto sax), Luke Sweeting (piano), Hannah James (bass), Matt Sykes (drums). Round Midnight comprised Ian … (guitar) and Keith Joliffe (bass). Anton Wurzer played piano accordian. Toucani comprised John Baczinski (tenor sax), Daniel Wild (Piano), Eric Pozza (bass) and Brenton Holmes (drums). Hugh Deacon sat in on the jam.

Hot and cold (Moruya 1)

A cold front came in on Friday afternoon. Short sleeves and t-shirts were in abundance and lots of musos were chilled out. Then Sunday morning was hot and the Canberra inlanders disappeared to the beach for a spot of sand and sunstroke. Changeable weather perhaps, but inside was pleasant, and the music was hot, or at least warm, so the weather havoc was easily forgotten.

There were a few name bands at Moruya, but this is really an outing for the Jazz School, and somewhat like a family get-together. Especially given that, for some, it was the final fling for the year, or even for the degree. So there was chatter and commitment throughout.

As for the featured acts, Mike Hallam is a regular and he was back, but perhaps the most notable name was Catherine Hunter. She’s an ex-Canberran and Jazz School graduate who’s made a name for herself in Sydney. In her band were two Hauptmans (Zoe on bass, and James on drums) who have a similar history, so this just continued the Jazz School theme. And there were the Jazz School faculty, who are names in their own right: Eric Ajaye, John Mackey, Miroslav Bukovsky, James Greening, Col Hoorweg.

As always, the Jazz School’s large ensembles were there. For some, it was the last performance in the current line-up. These bands are reformed annually with auditions early in the new year. The Recording Ensemble is playing Wangaratta, but the Commercial and Big Band were perhaps doing their last performances. I missed the Big Band, but the Commercial played a great last set to see off several of the front line from their studies.

I heard lots of music, but also missed lots, because of conflicts, especially as I played 6 sets over the weekend, and 5 on Saturday, which was the major day of the festival, but here are some of my recollections.

How could you not be interested in a band called Erogenous Tones? ET are a piano trio with several stalwarts of the Jazz students: Ben Foster (piano), Hannah James (bass), Ed Rodrigues (drums). Ben’s a lovely player, with a rich, calm approach, and very satisfying chordal work and long, richly textured solo lines. Hannah is playing better than ever, with a sweet tone and thoughtful, true solos. Ed is always busy but subtle, and richly interpretive. These are students who play together frequently rather than a standing band. The set included some known standards (Miles’ Solar and Nardis, How deep is the ocean, even C-Jam blues), but also some lesser known ones (at least for me: Elsa as played by Bill Evans and Lullaby of the leaves) and some originals. This was the first band I caught and it set a high standard. Congrats for an excellent set, and congrats to Ed for a very appealing name!

Ivory Hunter is Daniel Hunter’s outfit for presenting original music. IH is Daniel Hunter (guitar), Yen Nguyen (drums), Kane Watters (bass). The program includes Ben Foster, so maybe this is not the normal, full band. This was largely guitar-instrumental, in a US West Coast style, perhaps reminiscent of Pat Metheny with an Eagles influence? The Eagles? There seemed to be a country twang, with fully strummed chords merged with sophisticated, effected guitar lines. Nice to hear some original music. It seems to have been a theme recently, with several people talking to me of making new music. It’s a good development. On this theme, Miroslav Bukovsky highlighted that pieces don’t need to be permanent. They can be experiments that work or not, but it’s important to originate. He’s a good example, having recently written a piece called Tilba for Carl Morgan’s home town. The message seems to be: just do it, and if you don’t like it, just do another.

Red Barron was comprised of some of the next generation of students, along with some older stalwarts. RB were Matt Sykes (drums), Matt Lustri (guitar), Chris Pound (bass), James LeFevre (sax), Jonno Apps (trumpet). They played a psychedelic style: soundscapes, heavy and successful guitar effects, mesmerically rhythmic. It seems like the ‘60s are fashionable again, for this was music with references to that era, and two of the three musicians even sported afro haircuts. (Obviously it’s a time to revisit, with Iraq as our new Vietnam). Again, this was original music and it was impressively played. Chris is obviously a new bassist to note. I praised him with the Recording Ensemble recently. He was equally impressive here, and also got the gig with John Mackey on Saturday night. Matt S impressed me with several good compositions, including one that James Greening played at a concert at the Gods a few months back, as well as a great feeling for overlaying complex rhythms with subtly moving colours. Matt L was reliable and believable with pedals. Jazz players go light on effects; they can corrupt otherwise good solos. But Matt’s use was apposite and effective. Nice work. James and Jonno are strong, mature players and added complexity to the ‘60s theme.

Moruya 2