Paganini’s chook

Christian Howes was one I’d been looking forward to. He’s a jazz violinist. It’s an unusual instrument in jazz, so that’s something to explore. And he had a great local band, and it was at Canberra Grammar, so intimate. The gig was moved to a theatre to allow for a larger audience, but there were still beanbags and we could mingle.

Christian came from NYC with accolades. We were not disappointed, of course. He mentioned sitting in weekly with Les Paul, and this comes as no surprise. Pauline had heard him performing at 55 Bar in Greenwich, and that was only 100 metres from where we stayed in NYC, so I felt he was a local. It was Pauline’s invitation that got him to Canberra after his Asian tour. For all the great skills and classical/jazz cross, Christian is a jovial and friendly bloke, and terrifically well received. This was skills plus and unconventionally disparate in styles. It’s the only concert where I’ve heard Paganini (his virtuosic 24th caprice, with flabbergasting melodies in harmonics and heterogeneous bowing techniques) and Wichita linesman (no, not joking) and Jaco’s The chicken played solo on violin (Jaco’s looped bassline overlaid with a guitar chords and wah, then violin fills, all supporting the melody and solo played live; I could only chuckle at this) and a few standards and some originals. He showed us an electric violin (I held it later and it’s a diminutive and surprisingly light instrument) but he played a standard instrument with pickup through a multieffects into a little amp (violinists can travel light) and a borrowed loop pedal for The Chicken (his had blown up in China). So this was entertaining and pleasant and some great, hot play. Violin sounds different, of course: strong, sustained, vibratoed, stratospheric harmonics and big intervals in a very small space. Christian had it all, plus nice jazz feel for time and dissonance and solo structure.

This was a wondrous display of modern mainstream playing with a very decent band in support, to which Christian offered several respectful grins. Michael was his normal explosive self, bashing into the tunes, going hard and then taking it higher still. I marvel at his excitability. None of this was particularly exploratory (this is mainstream) but it’s gloriously skilled and enthralling. Michael’s a blowout every time. Bass is an essential instrument, meaning of the essence of the music. It’s harmonic though not chordal, and it’s relatively clumsy, but Eric was fluent and busy and laid malleable but always driving and embroidered accompaniments and lyrical solos. And Mark, despite some obvious discomfort from his flu, was busy and colourful on brushes and laid into some inexorable but easily syncopated rock and jazz rhythms and solos that famed rockstars could probably not even hear in their dreams. (What is it with this inversion of skill and popularity in our era? Too many people listen with their eyes.) The standards included Nardis and Monk’s Rhythm-a-ning and Tenderly and they played Dave Holland’s The Oracle. There were a few originals with demanding reading, especially one dedicated to an influence of Christian’s, Bobby Floyd, with killer syncopations that must have been a learner. And then a funky tune to end with heavy effects and synth-sounds of portamento and drive.

This was hot playing, friendly and entertaining, for an audience that was all smiles and flabbergast. It’s mainstream and not the arty extremes, but so hot and so well done (after only meeting at 3pm that day, but then that’s jazz). I could only imagine how the jazz violinists in the audience (Pauline and Anna and El and maybe others) would have found it. Expect to hear the concert on ArtSound’s Friday Night Live in coming weeks. Christian Howes (violin) played with Michael Azzopardi (piano), Eric Ajaye (acoustic, electric basses) and Mark Sutton (drums) at Canberra Grammar School.

Explosives

Here’s one I didn’t want to miss. Niels is going overseas soon and Michael and Anna Azzopardi were in town so this gig. It’s enough to say there was some explosive playing and it was absolutely expected. This was Hippo, the music was mostly fusion/funk or thereabouts and the playing was exciting and awe-inspiring. Anna and Michael each provided some tunes and they were very good. Michael’s tunes had his busy, bubbly musical personality. Anna’s were a bit more restrained and generally with a richer harmonic underlay. They were all seriously presentable tunes and they lacked for little against Brecker Brothers and even Corea’s Spain. Anna’s violin was luscious. It’s an uncommon tone in jazz, but hearing Anna this night and one of her influences, Jean Luc Ponty, a year or so ago, I reckon that’s disappointing. It’s attractive, mobile, subtly synth-like (or perhaps it’s truer to say that synths are often like strings), sustained tone, and quite unlike anything else on the jazz podium and it sat well with Niels on tenor, in unison or in response or counterpoint. Niels swapped to flute for the head to Spain, but otherwise this was amplified tenor, sometimes effected. He also maintains a real melodic core, but lets go often enough with dazzling flourishes. This as mostly fusion, so there are furious heads and frequent odd syncopations and some devilish little finishes. It surprised me when they carried them off with limited practice (and good humour when it didn’t quite work) but they were good. This is also a boys’ world of solos. Michael was the essential explosive on stage. What to say to such joyful commitment and sheer virtuosity? I felt the solos could just ramble (or sprint) on indefinitely with new ideas, and these ideas all placed and released with ease and seriousness and bubbling excitement. Hands flailing; substitutions galore; organ or piano or synth or wah; whatever. And always just so apt. I recorded the gig and listened after with amazement at the correctness of the lines and, in Spain, the clear references to Chick’s own takes. But moving on to James, he too was a star. He was playing a Roland effected bass (apparently not midi) that was fuzzed or synthed or just plain clean, and he played massive, fast, easily over the whole neck and into the highest frets with a strangely thumb-free technique that hints at double bass. What a performance! Solid or funky grooves, rich ornamentation and speed and excitement. And loud. Great fun. Not least was Evan sitting at the kit, busy, sharp, clear, taking an occasional solo, picking up on band ostinatos, rhythmically mirroring the elation of the band around him. If I sound stunned, yeah I am. It was not totally unexpected, because I knew this would be a hot gig, but just realising how good this was. Listening back to the recording was an eye-opener, hearing lines that were more mushy in a noisy bar environment. There was some truly hot playing here that would grace most any venue. What a hot gig … and a large part was thrown together the night before. I’m impressed!

Niels Rosendahl (tenor, flute), Anna Azzopardi (violin) and Michael Azzopardi (keyboard) reprised their old band with James Luke (bass) and Evan Dorrian (drums) at Hippo Bar.

ANUSM double header

Jazz was the style for the first evening of the ANU School of Music Premier Concert Series for 2010. The bands were the Mike Price Trio and Vertical, both led and largely composed of teachers at the Jazz School, and it was a diverse offering.

Mike played first. He leads a guitar trio in a mainstream-modern West Cost guitar style. It’s a blend of originals with a smattering of standards played in a diatonic and cool and fluent manner. There were some interesting themes. The set was bookended by Kenny Wheeler, starting with a tribute composed by Mike and ending with a KW tune that opened free and settled into a neat groove. The Gong was an unusual jazz workout that was heavily country-influenced, with Mike reminiscing on his home town Wollongong and the imposing local steel works of Port Kembla with strummed and picked chords against a rock drum beat. There was a beautiful ballad by Henry Mancini, Two for the road, that Mike advised was Mancini’s favourite composition. Also another ballad beauty, You don’t know what love is, played with an afro-latin groove and a pensive piece that was being called Newish in the absence of a final title. Mike’s playing was fluent and cool, sharp and unvarnished; Col’s was restrained with his minimal kit, but I especially noticed unusually extended passages of contrasting rhythms that held long tensions against the underlying groove; Eric is always primally smooth and flowing, but I was having some problems hearing him in this context. The hall was decked out with a nice looking PA (good on ANUSM), but work is ongoing to tune it to the Llewellyn acoustics that suit classical so well but seem problematic for amplified music. Eric’s sound over the PA improved during the night, but even if I couldn’t hear too well from the start, I could still feel his steady and confident grooves and subtle fills and improvisations. So, it was a cool and intelligent first set from Mike Price (guitar), Eric Ajaye (Bass) and Col Hoorweg (drums).

Eric led Vertical for the second set, and a very different set it was. Different in style from Mike’s trio, but also different from the expectations of the band and the program. Paul Dal Broi is Vertical’s normal pianist but he was unavailable due to sickness. Paul is a calm player who speaks with quiet but intense harmonic clarity and intelligence. On the night, he was replaced by Michael Azzopardi, who has played and recorded extensively with the rest of the group, so it was a different band, a somewhat different repertoire and a very different outing. Michael is rabidly and virtuosically explosive, and he showed his best this night. Vertical played a series of originals by all members. Eric’s Homeward opening the night with a drum solo using mallets that moved into a melody on soprano sax with piano fills and washes. Then a genuine post bop hard swinger, Monday night at BMH, composed by Niels. BMH is London’s Bar Music Hall where Niels performed during his London sojourn. This was exciting and everyone soloed, but Michael especially lifted the roof here. Then a ballad written by Michael, It’s in your eyes, starting with soprano sax against what I thought was a 14 beat rhythm (8-6) moving to 4/4. Then a bass solo intro into Realisations. Here I particularly noticed how effectively the band handled dynamics that rose and fell against the melody line, and the different sound of orchestral synthesiser washes against the otherwise acoustic sounds. Then Michael’s tune, Another year, with a rock rhythm, Eric’s From here to there to hear, with its long and tortuous boppy melody played on soprano sax against a fast walk. Then Niels’ ballad, Let me be, to end.

It was a wonderful modern-jazz set, not extreme in effect although harmonically interesting and sometimes virtuosic, varied in sounds and feels despite steady walks and grooves. You couldn’t help but notice Michael for the way his solos developed to explosive statements, through all manner of pianistic techniques: endlessly sustained lines, solos in octaves, contrasting left hand chords, easy harmonic alterations, the nerves to hold onto tensions. These were endless, excitable sprays of notes; a veritable emotional waterfall. Niels’ approach is more constrained but no less interesting or capable. He’d state melodies with the slightest of variation and solo phrases with ease and clarity, then readily drop into sustained double time lines that were articulated with precision and purpose. I noticed the slaps of pads in one quiet ballad passage. It’s an unconventional technique, but intimate and attractive, and I’m sure he must have been playing for it. I felt in many ways Chris defined the band’s sound on the night, with constantly changing colours and interpretive playing. These drums didn’t just set the groove or even state rhythmic contrasts, but rather coloured and echoed and mimicked the rest of the band: truly a constituent part of the dynamics. I felt it as a rock approach but with jazz chops and expertise. Eric was the elder of the tribe, underscoring and defining the grooves and harmonic flow, and making his own individual statements in solos. These were more intelligible than earlier in the night and mellifluous and flowing as always. A wonderfully original, capable and modern sounding outing for four mates with history. Vertical comprised Niels Rosendahl (soprano, tenor sax), Michael Azzopardi (piano, keyboard), Eric Ajaye (bass) and Chris Thwaite (drums).

Jazz in abundance

It seemed an abundance of riches this afternoon when I dropped in the local shops: not one but two bands. I live near Manuka, so I could hop down for a few minutes to catch this week’s women in jazz gig. Actually, I was wondering where all the women were going to come from; they remain under-represented amongst instrumentalists around town. So it was no surprise when I found a singer with two guys accompanying. Interesting, though, it was a new generation of the jazz school, and I like to see the turnover happening. Matilda Abraham was singing, and I only caught a few tunes, but they included two originals by Matilda and several well known songs sung with a largely unadorned, but clear and ringing voice, and a gently insinuating vibrato. Very nice for the latins (Dindi) and the standards (Polkadots and moonbeams, Skylark) and especially the ballads (You don’t know what love is). It was a voice that expressed the tunes with honesty and deference. Very satisfying. I hear Matilda is a great admirer of Nina Simone: it fits. Matilda was accompanied by frequent collaborator, Andy Butler, on piano, and first time associate, Simon Milman on bass. Andy did a capable job with sustained eighth-note lines of clarity and aptness, and an awareness of Matilda's style that comes with ongoing accompaniment. I’ve written about Simon before, playing all manner of basses, but never double bass. He’s been around for some time: mature and capable, with well formed thoughts on the instrument. Apparently it was a new double bass, but he played it with comfort to belie this new track in his playing. This was a gentle, café outing, and good playing all round.

I’d noticed Michael Azzopardi was back in town, and someone told me he was playing at the Belgian Beer Cellar for the Dave Rodriguez gig. I turned up to find Dave and Michael with Ed Rodrigues (he’s the regular drummer) and James Luke on double bass. I guess James has been playing the gig while Bill Williams has been out of town. This was very different from the café gig in Manuka. It was hot, sweaty, blister-forming music. Taking the Miles and Shorter standards (Nardis, Footprints, Juju) and a few related standards (Softly…, bebop, a blues) and treating them with passion and energy and some humour. Fabulous, hot, exciting playing from some current local masters. Michael and Ed were bouncing off each other with endless energy. Neither can help playing with passion and exuberance. Michael’s solo development was exemplary. Quotes and hints at the underlying melody throughout, but ever-lifting, every-rising excitement. Fabulous stuff. Dave was controller, with clear, consolidated lines, but sometimes even his demeanour burst into flourishes, but mostly his was a sensitive and tonally defined style. James was blistered from long hours of double bass gigging over recent days, but stated some lovely defined support lines, and solos that moved decisively in style and tenor. My ears picked up during his Nardis solo with a sustained 16th note line, and as I listened there was melodic purity, then simple solidness, then cross rhythms with whole note triplets, then the power of pedalpoint. Superb variation of intent and mood. Admirable playing. I’ve never seen Ed when he’s not emotionally committed and true to the music. There’s busyness but endless dynamics, with his body expressing every nuance. Not overly pretty to see, but bliss to hear. Another local master. So they all were: this established generation of players, toying with great modern standards. And bliss to the ears of the local initiates who listened in wonder.

So, just another day around the inner south. Australians can complain (as I guess does every nation) but we have tons to be thankful for: a rich country, good climate (although threatening change), wealth and comfort. Abundance in most things, not least jazz. What a fabulous little few hours at the local shops for a jazz lover!

Matilda Abraham (vocals) played in Manuka with Andy Butler (piano) and Simon Milman (bass). Dave Rodriguez (guitar) played in Kingston with Michael Azzopardi (piano), James Luke (bass) and Ed Rodrigues (drums).

Reunion of the circle

Michael and Anna returned to Canberra last Friday for an ArtSound Friday Night Live broadcast with friends gathered round. It’s for good reason that the band is called Inner Circle. I was in the studio for the second set, and it was a warm and friendly atmosphere. These guys (I’m including Anna here) have played together in various combinations in the past, and the experience showed in capable, tuneful and vigorous playing over quality original tunes. I found Michael less abandoned and dissonant in his playing than I remembered him, but then I often used to hear him in situations where he could let his hair down. He played some virtuosic solos, with both inventive diatonic playing and diversions off into dissonance. Lovely. Niels played with the tastefulness we’ve come to expect from him, but let go for a frenetic solo on the last tune, the exciting Eighty eight keys to happiness. Bowed strings bring a very different identity to jazz. Anna supplied several intriguing and obviously sensitive tunes to the band, with personal, even socio-political, themes (The journey was about a refugee). I liked this and liked the purposive nature of the bow in this context. Chris and Eric were obviously enjoying the situation, and playing with understanding and direction and openness. This is just a short report to catch up, but this was a welcome if short visit by departed friends and a night to be savoured.

Michael Azzopardi (piano) and Anna Thompson (violin) played with Niels Rosendahl (tenor), Eric Ajaye (bass) and Chris Thwaite (drums).

Niels & Greg

It was another excellent night at White Eagle. It’s really turning into a great performance outlet for intriguing, challenging modern jazz forms. This night had two parts. First was the launch of a CD by Niels Rosendahl, one of our most capable recent students and now an international export. And a very different performance in a groove-based, fusion style by Greg Stott’s band.

Niels Rosendahl presented the CD launch. The band was virtually the same as that which appears on the CD: Niels Rosendahl (tenor sax), Michael Azzopardi (piano), Eric Ajaye (bass) and Chris Thwaite (drums), joined on odd tunes by Anna Thompson (violin) and Jono Apps (trumpet). The CD adds Jonno’s brother, Luke Apps (trumpet) on one track. Niels played six tracks from the CD. They were all quality compositions, in a variety of modern acoustic jazz forms, ballad, latin, straightahead post-bop and the like.

Niels’ soloing displays a mature melodic intent these days. Solos seem to grow naturally from the underlying tune, rather than being forced over the top of a chord progression. It’s not surprising that his writing is also strong: melodic, unforced, satisfying. So his playing shows beautiful and fitting melodies with lovely use of intervals; flourishes and fast passages which are not infrequent but never forced; full use of the range and tonality of the instrument. In summary, it was a polished performance with considerable musical depth.

Michael played piano, rather than keyboard, in this context. It was rich and varied and inventive, as we always expect of him. Michael is always harmonically mobile, and his backing harmonies enrich the music no end. Eric is a master, defining and playing with grooves or laying down a fast, rock-solid walk, or soloing with real intimacy and relevance. Chris listens intently and interacts richly with the other players. He seems to set up a rhythmic and percussive sound scape in support of the others, but also solos freely on his own behalf. Anna joined in on two tunes, one where she plays response to Niels’ call. Violin is not a common jazz instrument, but she plays with a jazz sensibility, and it’s hard to avoid reminiscences of Jean-Luc Ponty, especially given her effected tone. Jono joined for a good, solid latin tune, where one or more trumpets was a necessity. It fitted fabulously, created an infectiously danceable salsa beat, and played a good solo to boot.

I bought the CD. First impressions are very positive. I’ve been immediately impressed by the maturity of both the composition and performance, the good sound, and the general competence all round. Apparently, copies will be available from Abels, or you can contact Niels through his MySpace site. BTW, Niels is returns to London in a few days.

The second set of the night was very different. Greg Stott is a jazz graduate, and is involved in the music training at the Jazz School and TAFE. He’s impressed me immensely in the past, so I was looking forward to this show with anticipation.

Greg Stott (guitar) led a band comprising John Mackey (tenor sax), Wayne Kelly (keyboards), Jason Varlet (bass) and Mark Sutton (drums). From the start it was full on, fast, capable and fun. The tunes were challenging. The blowing passages and the underlying rhythms were repetitive, but I find that’s the nature of this style. But the playing was supremely competent and the tunes themselves had interesting and well-played heads. This was a first gig of this combination with this music, so the sharp performance was doubly impressive. The tunes were all originals by Greg, including one very altered version of Ellington’s Caravan which still displayed some well-hidden evidence of its ancestry. I loved the title: Campervan. There was one tune that sounded to me like nothing less than a country-blues waltz (although a very sophisticated version). I heard Metheny melodies and West-Coast sounds in there, too.

The musicianship was of the highest order. Greg plays fast lines which generally seemed diatonic, but with variation and interest, and a sweet, pure Strat sound. John played his normal style of intensive solo, although I thought it was a bit less discordant than usual. Interestingly, when I started hearing some more discordant sounds, it seemed to me the band lifted and interacted more. Jason played fast, solidly and proudly on bass, using the whole panoply of modern electric bass styles (slaps, fingerwork, chords). His sound was great, too. His Warwick bass growled with a fat, middly sound and a clear top end twang. I could understand why Jack Bruce played the Cream comeback with a custom Warwick: it’s very much a modern version of the Gibson e-bass sounds of the sixties. Wayne soloed and backed with his normal panache and ease in groove styles. Mark played his role well, as he always does, although his parts were pretty simple and repetitive, but that's what this music calls for.

So there was great playing all around and it was obvious that it was well received by lots of musos and others on the night. They clearly are wonderfully competent players, do fusion fabulously well and play solid original tunes. Fusion's not my cup of tea but this is well done, so don’t miss an opportunity to hear them.

Niels Rosendahl on MySpace

Greg Stott on MySpace

Hot jammin’

It was the local mates out for a straightforward, hot jam session at Hippo’s. Not as competitive as the mythical cutting sessions of old, but it was intense. Lots of solos were passed around, and the fact that I only noted 5 tunes in two sets hints at the type of event it was. Lots of fun, lots of flash, and an opportunity to loosen up and play hard.

The Miroslav Bukovsky band was advertised as a quintet, but ended up as a septet on the night. Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn) led, with John Mackey (tenor sax), Niels Rosendahl (tenor sax), Michael Azzopardi (piano/keyboards), Carl Morgan (guitar), Eric Ajaye (bass) and Chris Thwaite (drums). I’ve written on all these players before in CJ, so little more to add. I noticed Eric’s machine gun fingers dividing the beat and enriching the groove, and Chris playing a similar role with stabs and fills on snare and toms. John and Michael both remain resolutely manic and harmonically inventive (and we love them for it!). Michael plays a very mobile keyboard sound, continually changing tones and modulating notes, with piano morphing to synth or organ amidst a stream of substituted chords. John’s always just simply flat out, playing fascinating, complex, rich lines with immense intensity. In this context, and recently since his European sojourn, Niels was less frenzied and more composed. So much so that at one stage, I realised Footsteps had slipped into a reggae feel! And Miroslav and Carl were both there with breakout speed on bop and modern lines. Each player impresses in his own way. Their displays are all in individual styles and at a high musical level.

They saw me coming

Just 5 tunes? Perhaps there were six and I missed the count, but Footsteps was definitely approaching 30 mins. John’s fast bop-style Pantano Drive was much longer than on his CD, and Bronte Café was also much extended. The others were a latin and an earthy, flowing tune with Eric playing a growly bass reminiscent of Buster Williams.

Oliver and Paik. Ollie studies sax at the Jazz School

As I said before, it was the cream of local jazz talent out for the night on the town.

Jess & Niels

Last night’s White Eagle was a night of maturity in several ways. In the musical sense, it was a homecoming for two wayfarers and ex-Jazz School students, and both presented mature, developed music. In the performance sense, it was a big night at the White Eagle, with perhaps 150 people in attendance at the last show of 2006.

The crowd celebrated the end of a great first year for the White Eagle sessions. Earlier this year, several jazz students took on the task of presenting themselves and developing their own venue. Like Jazzgroove in Sydney, they’ve taken control of their own art through a cooperative venture. It gives Canberra a venue for performances by its own peripatetic offspring jazzers, and gives the current crew of developing musos a venue to perform, meet and jam. And the big turnout included the families of some of the visiting players as well as lovers of the art. So congrats to Ed, Phill and Hannah for the White Eagle success.

The first players of the night were the Niels Rosendahl Quartet. Niels has just arrived back after a year travelling in Europe and SE Asia, and further studying his tenor sax. He instantly impressed me with a new calmness and sureness in his presence; with clear and purposeful improvisations; with understated but nonetheless fast and complex lines; with clear and impassioned articulation. What he played was necessary, not just impressive. Niels had recommended a book to me the previous night, “Zen guitar”, as a good read, so it was no surprise that exuded a zen-like bearing on the night. He’s obviously developed immensely after time in SE Asia and Europe, mostly in Edinburgh. From the rubato start of “God bless ye merry gentlemen”, to another rubato section on the final tune, “Silent night”, the selections were apt and the performance was convincing. Otherwise the band played various original tunes by Neils and Michael A.

From left, Niels, Michael, Ed and Bill

The band was an impressive unit: Michael Azzopardi (piano), Ed Rodrigues (drums) and Bill Williams (bass) accompanied Niels Rosendahl (tenor sax). Michael played with incredible energy and commitment as always; Ed was connected and interpretive; Bill was a rock with strong walks, and intriguing solos with a hard, clear tone. Ed told me afterwards that he felt all was inevitable and correct while playing with Neils. It showed. Niels finished the night by inviting John Mackey up for a minor blues, so it all ended with the local tenor masters at play. Niels continues to improve and impress; watch him.

The Jess Green Septet was totally another proposition. Jess composes and leads a band with a broad, inclusive, world style. There were infectious rhythms borrowed from all over the place (rockabilly, blues, garage bands and reggae were in there, and she has a connection with, and influence from, Ghana). There were varied time signatures (7/4, 5/4, lots of triple times, 3/4 or 6/4, as well as the old standard, 4/4). There were varied harmonies and counterpoint in the 4-part horn section. So this was orchestrated music, of a modern, global style, with jazz leanings, and plenty of improvisation. What got me about the improvisations was the appropriateness of the solos to the musical context. As well as actively leading the band, Jess plays guitar. She did several wonderful, understated solos with soft picking and a bell-like tone on her Telecaster Thinline (the semi-acoustic model with humbucker pickups), as well as holding lots of rhythms with riffs or even simple chordal work. All the horns played solos, as did drums and bass. In one spot, there was an unusual combination of trumpet soloing against drums, then becoming more standard as the bass joined the action. Zoe Hauptmann is a great bassist, and I loved her immensely fitting solos on two tunes. Her match with the rhythm and groove and horn-based harmonies, and the spaces she left for the horn parts, were immaculate. I was taken by her great, solid tone, too. She works the strings hard, and the resulting sound is solid and dirty and endlessly reliable. I also particularly liked the varied harmonies from the horn section. The writing was good, and the players combined beautifully. And Chris T, sitting in for the night of drums, did a great job. So this was another mature offering; this time of original, contemporary, world-style music.

Jess Green with her Dad and brother

The Jess Green Septet were: Jess Green (guitar, composer, leader), Matt Keegan (tenor sax), Dan Junor (alto sax), John Hibbard (trombone), Simon Ferenci (trumpet), Zoe Hauptmann (bass), Chris Thwaite (drums, replacing Evan Mannell).

It looks like there’s no White Eagle session in January, but expect a return in February.

Jess Green's new CD, "Singing fish"

Niels Rosendahl's MySpace site

John Mackey CD launch

John Mackey launched his new CD the other night with a fabulous night of impassioned, Coltranesque exuberance at Hippo’s. John, of course, is the sax teacher at the Jazz School and a product of Perth. He recorded his CD in Melbourne with some excellent sidemen, and John’s brother Carl, who also plays a mean tenor. The launch at Hippo’s only shared 2 players with the CD (John and Eric Ajaye), but it was a spirited band and they played several of the tunes from the CD.

The band on the night comprised John Mackey (tenor sax), Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet), Carl Morgan (guitar), Eric Ajaye (bass), Michael Azzopardi (piano) and Chris Thwaite (drums). It’s amongst the crème of the local jazz scene and I’ve written on all these players over the months here at CJ. John is out front, with plenty of original blowing tunes, and hugely passionate and intelligent solos, with a massive 60s-Coltrane-influence. Miroslav provides harmony trumpet lines and great bop solos, and several excellent originals. Carl Morgan is all the rage at the moment, as a young (1st year) guitarist at the Jazz School who’s blowing with great confidence and competence and genuinely interesting, unfaked lines. He’s obviously a talent to watch. Eric Ajaye is, of course, our much-admired bassist with years of experience in the US with the big names. After looking at the liner notes of John’s CD, I realise John has plenty of names to drop to match Eric’s (Nat Adderley, Richie Cole, Dionne Warwick, Roy Hargrove, Toshiko Akiyoski and others vs. Bernie Maupin, Sonny Stitt, Gary Bartz, Victor Feldman, etc) but that’s another story. Michael Azzopardi is the master of frantic, dissonant soloing, and challenging, similarly altered and substituted accompaniment. And Chris Thwaite is the strong drummer in the corner, always with a strong and intimate connection with the others.

The tunes included plenty of John’s originals, largely from the CD (Contemplation, Pressure cooker, See what happens, It’s the only thing to do, etc), a solo sax interpretation of Ellington’s “In a sentimental mood”, one of my favourite latin tunes, “Invitation”, and several of Miroslav’s excellent compositions (Delicatessen, For Woody, and that theme from Radio National’s Country Hour and an ever-popular tune for Wunderlust, the infectious Bronte Café).

John’s bands do not make for a light and easy evening. He always plays with a barrage of notes, and screaming, passionate intensity, and there’s volume to match. But it was a thrill to hear this band, and every player was obviously enjoying the challenge immensely. From what Eric said about the recording session, it was similarly demanding. So take any chance you get to hear John and one of his outfits, and get a copy of his CD. Take it easy; it’s not one for the faint-hearted. But if you can handle the intensity, you’re in for a treat.

John Mackey at MySpace

John Mackey Quintet

Hippos hosted John Mackey’s band last night, and it was another demonstration of talent from the CSM Jazz School. The band comprised John Mackey (tenor sax) as leader, Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet), Michael Azzopardi (piano), Gareth Hill (bass) and Sam Young (drums). John and Miroslav are teachers at the school, and come with considerable reputations. Michael, Gareth and Sam are students, but highly capable.

John is a strong and emotive player in the Coltrane, early-60s, avant-garde mode. He will reliably blow complex and impassioned solos with a hard tonal edge, and lots of out playing; often long and demanding; often frantic or wailing, but always intense. He didn’t disappoint this time, and the tunes were suited to his style. They played several originals, and some covers, by Nat Adderley and others.

I have written before of Miroslav as a local Miles, in the sense that he gathers great musos to work together. In this case, he played the trumpet part in a 50s/60s-style small combo. He played melodies in harmony or unison with John’s tenor, and blew strong and well formed solos. He displayed more of a soloist bent in this formation than in Wunderlust or his own combos, and it was very impressive playing: few fluffed notes (common enough with the best of trumpeters), some harmonic backdrops, good internal structure and development in solos, occasional flourishes and fast runs.

Michael Azzopardi is everywhere these days, but he’s a great player and well worth the frequent listens. He played wonderfully as always, providing excellent backing with ever-changing rhythms and harmonies. He led a rich and changing rhythm section, often breaking into cross rhythms, or whole-note triplets, or similarly challenging the underlying rhythm. But he also provided numerous impassioned solos. I remember one especially when he followed one of John’s long solos. He told me after that he decided against trying to match this flurry of outside notes, so he played a lovely, rippling surface of steady, arpeggiated notes, which then developed into a softer and more thoughtful solo. It was a brilliant change of tack from the band, displaying a considerable competence in producing different styles on demand.

Gareth struck me from the start with a fast post-bop walk, and he held that throughout the night. He has a soft but present sound, and provided a steady, reliable undercurrent. He did several nice solos, too. Not flashy, but well conceived, tasteful and capable explorations of the harmonies. I especially liked some chordal double-stop work with accompanying drums and piano in the second set.

Sam kept the steady beat through the night, responded well to Michael’s explorations to the rhythm, and provided interesting changes and fills to underlie the heads and solos.

I only stayed for the first and second sets. To me, the second set was the more satisfying. It felt more settled, less frantic, generally more “musical”. But what I saw was a pleasure. Much more challenging than relaxing, but that’s how I like it.

This was classic 50s/60s avant-garde: John in his trademark long, leather overcoat, Miroslav cool beside him, Michael hunched over his keyboard; Gareth and Sam thrusting away underneath it all. Another great night of local jazz.