Degrees of separation

It's said that you are only 6 degrees of separation from anyone.  Maybe.   An old friend had shared a lift with George W Bush in the White House; 1 degree of separation: check.  I played a gig once at Rupert Murdoch's house out of Canberra and RM himself came up to the band, and in the break we spoke to several NY media executives, then Bob Hawke arrived in a helicopter; 1 degree of separation: check.  Micah Heathwood sat in with us at Molly and he was the support act for Kamasi Washington; 1 degree of separation: Check.  We were at that concert.  Micah opened and said it was their first concert in Sydney: at Carriageworks supporting Kamasi Washington.  What a nice place to start!  From the top the sound was dreadful.  Most obvious was a  huge stomach thumping kick that lasted beyond the first minutes.  Had they done a sound check before the gig?  Just 3 players and one singing.  But I could appreciate some oddly structured but well-maintained drum grooves over changing and unusual counts.  With soft and relatively indistinct guitar strums and notes, rich with delay and more, creating colour over the drums.  And keys that laid bass lines that again thumped the stomach or perhaps chordal work, but not distinct like that literally thumping bass.  Perhaps a solo somewhere but again not too clear.  And Micah with some vocals, indecipherable to my ears with my trade mark-tissue earplugs.  I took one out to listen but still no luck.  That stomach thump receded later but I still didn't catch lyrics.  Lyrics interest me.  To me they define song with intellect beyond emotion.  For lyrics,  I can ask Micah or wait for his upcoming recordings.  But despite sound, I was mightily impressed.  Inspired post-punk perhaps; floating jazz colour; contentious rhythm; even a lyric if I could hear it.  Richard mentioned shoe-gaze but there were also jazz chops and knowledge to inform it.  Hope to hear more and great congrats to Micah and Jamie and Max.

Micah Heathwood (drums, vocals) performed with Jamie Rea (keyboards) and Max Sturm (guitar) in support of Kamasi Washington at Carriageworks.

End of eight

It's the end of a series.  A series of eight concerts with invited players from interstate, run by Alex Raupach Verity Lane.  I've got to the last three only, but enjoyed them immensely.  Let's hope the series reappears.  It reminds me a days a decade back when musicians and bands toured though Canberra, Syd>Melb or vice versa, with workshops at the ANUSOM.  Good days.  These were great concerts.  This last night was pianist Wilbur Whitta, again one with Canberra connections but also a Masters from the Royal School of Music, just beside the Royal Albert Hall, that Albert Hall in London.  Impressive as was his playing.  He teamed with Chris Pound and Micah Heathwood for the night, and a few tunes to finish with Alex and Tom Fell.  We caught the second set only, with a bopper then a few possible originals, then a longing trumpet tune, and possibly a Miles of late'70s vintage and a finish on a rarer standard, You stepped out of a dream.  I found Wilbur as expansive, lightly phrased but complex, rich in substitutions and dissonances.  Lovely.  Chris again solid and richly toned but exploratory.  Micah busy and driving and forceful.  A worthy end to a challenging series.

Wilbur Whitta (piano) led a trio with Chris Pound (bass) and Micah Heathwood (drums) at Verity Lane.  Alex Raupach (trumpet) and Tom Fell (tenor) sat in for a few tunes. 

Twists

It's another jazz jam, really, but it's a modern twist with groove and minimalism in place of standards and changes.  I love them both, of course, but the newer form sounds more '70s Miles-cum-rap 1-3 minimalism and embraces electronic sounds and it's playful and at very non-bop tempos.  It reminds me of a comment by Rich Beato about his time in a "jazz coma".  I can understand that and I've been there.  Jazz is such a complex and intellectual form that it can be its own world to be lost in, perhaps missing the ebb and flow of musics.  A once popular form established, perhaps like opera or the classics.  But I digress.  Last night was Victor Rufus Möbius at Sideway.  Five players on stage, improvising to instructions jotted on a board by Victor, occasionally responding to his conducting.  I spoke with keyboardist Hayden and he said it's a favourite outing.  I could imagine it. The sounds are electric, synths and e-bass; the rhythms are syncopated, jumpy, modern, perhaps on- rather than off-beat.  No swing that I remember.  Mostly all in together, layered and insisten, although there was one notable, sharp passage with just Victor and drummer Micah.  Inventive, exploratory, playful and skilled music with some knowing audience to imbibe.  Victor does this with various invited players.  I've seen another outing at Transit Bar with others and still that whiteboard.  Perhaps with invitations to rappers.  I did one stint of spoken word to the amusement of the audience and the band was a fabulous backing, steady then challenging and quickening.  It's not jazz coma but it's still jazz or a product thereof and I love it all.  Nice.  Synths are cool, too.

Victor Rufus (guitar) led another incarnation of Mobius at Subway with Mark Wilson (guitar), Olivia Faletoese (e-bass), Hayden Kinsman (keyboards) and Micah Heathwood (drums).

Hitting it

Great gig last night at Molly.  We were booked as James Woodman trio, I guess, but given two are Tilt, I'll consider it that. Dave couldn't do it so a ring around came up with Micah Heathwood, currently a student at ANU.  What a great outcome.  Perhaps a bit loud, primarily from my kicker amp but Micah went along with it.  Driving jazz, but with a rock presence and commitment.  Plenty of willing drum solos (thanks, Micah!) Great fun.  Micah suggested some tunes and we introduced him to a few he didn't know, including some cute waltzes, not least Bluesette, and one original from James.  The crowd was good and responded at least to a few tunes, perhaps later in the night.  My family and friends were there looking all the world like Leonardo's Last supper.  Not that bad, guys.  Whatever, a great night.  Thanks to Micah.

James Woodman (piano) joined Eric Pozza (bass) and Micah Heathwood (drums) at Molly, nominally as Tilt Trio or James Woodman trio or other.

Thanks to Annabel for the band pic and to Wikimedia Commons for the Giampietrino copy of Leonardo's Last supper (ca 1520).