Never wearied

It's their 45th anniversary concert tour and CD and these are masters and seasoned of our jazz craft so it's so surprise that this was such a deeply satisfying gig to attend.  Sure, we see them in smaller groups but to hear the compositions, the solos, the personalities, the arrangements of little big band colours is a special thing.  I'm still thrilling at the precision of those colours; of the contemporary classical crossover of Kevin Hunt's piano outings; of the touching depth of Sandy's introduction to the gig and Miro's Ornette-infused Nostalgia (isn't what it used to be) to end it all, of Steve Elphick's understated but ever correct Hadenesque presence.  And they fit a space like this, theatrical, spacious, respectful, nicely amplified.  It was casual, too, compered by Sandy and a space and casualness that we could see, experience the personality, musical and other, of each of these players.  I was amused by the cool pleasure of Warwick Alder and his chat with Miro; ever gregarious and friendly James Greening and his quips and then floored by his trombone responses to a Sandy solo; the as-one pairing of Sandy and Andrew and offsider Paul; Matt filling in for John Mackey, blowing in this own style and verve.  Rease Cameron was new to me, but nicely effective.  Just 10 tunes over 2 hours and two sets.  A hugely mature set of musos and musical and compositional grouping ends in a fabulous and deeply satisfying night of music.

Ten Part Invention performed at The Street Theatre.  10PI comprised Miroslav Bukovsky (co-musical director, trumpet, flugelhorn), Sandy Evans (co-musical director, tenor, soprano saxes), Paul Cutlan (tenor, baritone saxes, clarinet), Andrew Robson (alto), Matt Ottignon (tenor, flute), Warwick Alder (trumpet), James Greening (trombone),  Kevin Hunt (piano), Steve Elphick (bass) and Rease Cameron (drums).

Out of the West

Ben Vanderwal appeared at the Festival of the Drum at Smiths, essentially leading the evening.  He's renowned and from Perth and unexpectedly accompanied by another Perthite who happened to be in town, but he revealed during the gig that he's got an early connection with Canberra.  I'll let you ask him.  I'd heard Ben several times over the years and he's a fave of mine and no way did he let us down this evening. But then he had a pretty good set of offsiders, too: Miro, John, Greg, Lachlan and that visiting Perth person, Emily Gelineau, on 5 string violin-cum-viola (the extra low string on the violin provides for the full range of the two instruments) who just happened to be passing through with Musica Viva (!).  There were tunes from several members, not least two of Miro's renowns and one from Greg as well as 3 from Ben (one with the title: Paul Motion goes to a dance hall concert) and an arrangement of Summertime and Monk Bemsha swing and interestingly, two rich groove-rich numbers from Don Cherry.  Don Cherry, that's interesting.  The final tune of the night was Mopti by Don Cherry and it just spelt the tenor of the night, deeply grooving, joyous presence, some improv cutting going on.  Emily was on violin and it's not a common jazz instrument.  She told me of her admiration for Stephane Grapelli and how she especially enjoys gypsy jazz, but she was perfectly comfortable in this grouping. There was joy and laughter here from the West to join with the chops of our more sedate Canberra presence.  Of course, Ben was inventive and supremely reliable and steady despite his wildly inventive play.  Something like his humour, perhaps.  And that final tune and the passed solos and infectious joy was just such a groovy pleasure to end the night on.  Just a stunner, in humour and stage presence as well as inventive playing.  Fabulous.

Ben Vanderwal (drums) led a band with Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn), John Mackey (tenor), Greg Stott (guitar), Lachlan Coventry (bass) and perth-side sit-in Emily Gelineau (5-string violin/viola) at Smiths. 

Orchestral double vision

It's not often you see 2 orchestras in one night, although I noticed Miro called the Jazz orchestra a big band.  Whatever, a classical orchestra and a jazz orchestra/big band are different things.  The fact that the classical orchestra performs on the Llewellyn stage and the jazz orchestra plays in the bar just confirms the different formalities and memberships and musicalities but I love them both and obviously the audience does too.  These were the ANU Orchestra and the ANU Jazz Orchestra performing on one night in the same building.  First up was the classical players under Rowan Harvey-Martin playing Respighi, Vaughan Williams and Kodaly.  I was amused to not know of the Hary Janus suite although a friend knew it best of the 3.  The Respighi was Fountains of Rome and this didn't convince me.  I have lived in Rome for a several  years and seen the fountains frequently and this didn't click for me, but that's composition not performance.  The RVW was Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis interestingly with 3 groups comprising 2 small string sections and soloists.  I was most taken by some lovely solos, not least amongst the violas.  Amusingly, I greeted the basses before the gig and there were 3 (Dave, Mel and Hayley) and none are current students.  Then on to the bar and the big band and some swinging numbers although I didn't catch titles.  Miro was filling in for Greg Stott on the night.  At one stage he invited dances but only one male couple got up, amusing all while displaying some swing dance skills.  I recognised some faces in both orchestras but certainly not all.  Presumably for two reasons: new players in the music school and other ANU students who are taking part, for both orchestras are open for students and others from ANU.  Amusingly, I found I could take a wine into Llewellyn in a plastic glass, so maybe the two venues were more similar than I'd expected.  It's all music, after all, and all music is well suited to lubrication.

The ANU Orchestra under Rowan Harvey-Martin (conductor) performed on stage in Llewellyn Hall.  The ANU Jazz Orchestra under Miroslav Bukovsky (conductor) performed in the Athenaeum.

SoundOut 2025-2

Then Zosha Warpena from USA playing hardanger d'amore.  This caused quite a thrill, both for the performance, sometimes drone-like or rhythmic developing from a 3-feel, all with overlaid vocals, and the instrument.  We weren't alone in being perplexed by the instrument.  Hardanger is a Norwegian viola with 9 strings (read Wikipedia), four played and 5 resonant strung underneath or through the neck, a flat fingerboard lending itself to double stops, gut strings and baroque-like convex bow.  Quite lovely and something quite new to the room.  Zosha told me she's studied classical violin but did her masters on the hardanger and the vocals were something of her invention.  Quite lovely.  Then a session with piano, soprano sax, drums, trumpet/flugelhorn and cello.    Hubbub pianist Frederic Blondy was enthusiastic and creative and essentially led this performance to my ears.  Italian soprano saxist Gianni Mimmo was fabulously expressive in fluid, harmonically clear and penetrating response in somewhat like bop-styled chordal movements and cellist Peggy Lee of Canada/Melbourne strongly parallelled and supported the piano with obviously well-trained ostinato and other rhythmic patterns.  Miro listened and inserted himself several times with busy and apt jazz-like phrasings and Sydney drummer Hayley Chan was reserved primarily on cymbals. 

Zosha Warpeha (hardanger d'amore, vocals, USA) performed solo.  Federic Blondy (piano, France) performed with Gianni Mimmo (soprano, Italy), Peggy Lee (cello), Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn) and Hayley Chan (drums).

Birthday

This was Geoff's Jazz at Smiths and it was a special celebration, of the wonder of the long-standing band Wanderlust, and also the long-standing trumpeter who brought it together around 35 years ago in Sydney, Miroslav Bukovsky.  Anyone who knows Miro loves him so this was a special event.  And Wanderlust is such a perfect name for the music they play.  The tunes virtually were all by Wanderlust, often by Miro himself, and they were expansive, with only 9 tunes over two sets totalling about 2 hours.   So there was time to explore, another aspect of good travel.  But most obvious were the tunes themselves that spoke of a wide world, one samba in 3, one mambo, one from Burundi, one speaking to South Africa and Nelson Mandela, a final one just called Peace please, which speaks to all time and very much to now.  There was one cover, astonishingly called Wanderlust by Duke Ellington, a far more relaxed, luxuriant tune with nothing like the exploratory quest of this band, but still superbly lovely, as Ellington just is.  The band was superb, of course, understated, easily spoken, intriguing in harmony and melody, and settling into the most immersive grooves.  Which reminds me of a discovery I made listening to Miro's compositions, that trumpeters play melody so beautifully and thus write lovely melodies.  I guess it's related to the harmonic series that's the nature of technique on brass.  If not recorded already (surely it must be!) I reckon there's a PhD in that.  So this was all good nature, a party surrounded by admirers and friends and wonderful good will.  It's a memory for the ages from a band lasting ages.  Dry wit and so much joy.  Happy birthday for Miro's 80th and long may Wanderlust and the wanderlust remain.

Wanderlust performed at Smiths for Geoff's Jazz and Miro's 90th birthday.  Wanderlust are Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn), John Mackey (tenor), Alister Spence (piano, keyboards), Jeremy Sawkins (guitar), Fabian Hevia (percussion) and Lachlan Coventry (bass, guitar) with guest Tom Fell (baritone, soprano saxes).  They were joined by Alex Raupach (trumpet) and Richard Johnson (bass clarinet) for some final tunes.

A funky Heaven

If you keep your eyes peeled and know the scene you can happen on a great event, a visit or gathering, variously social and musical, that's a memory maker.  Peter O'Mara at Smiths was one of those.  It was a small audience and a decent sized band (6).  There were old mates and influences and shared histories and now mature skills and notable occupations.  James Greening was there as his vibrant, jovial and immensely capable self, as coordinator and interface but also so-inviting trombonist.  Of course, so was Peter O'Mara, very early influenced by Miro (in the '70s?) and warmly recognising it, now Professor at a Hochschule for music in Munich, in a building once the office of Hitler, no less, blaring away with dirty distorted lines or clear chordal parts.  Peter's return visit was the excuse for this gig.  And John was there, blistering on tenor but also very simple and bluesy on another tune if always with the quick and twisting phrase immediately available but never abused.  And Hamish, solid and understated and always, always, correct and apt.  They were playing a tribute to Jacky Ozsasky, famed and loved for his funky bands and arrangements.  Perhaps they had all played with him at various times.  They played a few of his arrangements this night amongst some PO'M originals and arrangements, including of Miro's passionately beautiful Peace please.  Lachlan was a picking force on his Fender 6 bass and was probably the only one not to have played with JO (Lachlan?).  Then to top it off, Dale Barlow, another of this family, arrived with flute to play the second set.  He'd been expected to play the previous Sunday at but couldn't in the end, so this was the opportunity to catch him.  A mate described him as veritable Australian jazz royalty, apparently the only Aussie to have played with the famed Jazz Messengers.  Then we learn from stage chatter that Dale played his first recording on Peter's first album.  The family history continues.  So what of the music?  Apart from the basics of the chops and the huge inventiveness of these top flight players, it was spectacular and alive and joyous and infectious.  As were the tunes.  Miro's Peace please is emotionally entrancing but there was also James Brown funk and Amin grooves and classic Freddie Hubbard '70s funk (Red clay) and Peter original fusion.  I was in Heaven but I was not alone.

Peter O'Mara (guitar) visited Smiths to play with a band of old mates comprising Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn), James Greening (trombone), John Mackey (tenor), Lachlan Coventry (bass) and Hamish Stewart (drums) and Dale Barlow (flute) sat in for the second set.

Our locals

You can get nonchalant after seeing the local names often enough, but take a break and settle in and you can be floored.  I was floored the other night for the latest band incarnation at Geoff Page's monthly concert.  Just friends John Mackey, Miro Bukovsky, Lachlan Coventry and Chris Thwaite, and just eight tunes taken from the standards repertoire, but a stunning outing with depth and purpose and Immense capability.  It should be no surprise but you can take the locals for granted.  It would have been just 7 tunes but Giant steps was called as an encore.  And there was that intense contact, too, with the dedication of the concert to once student, friend and musical prodigy, Niels Rosendahl, recently, sadly deceased.  Thus the Giant steps request.  Otherwise, this was a hugely satisfying outing, supple and malleable with instructive improvisations.  I followed John with awe at the alacrity, yes, but mostly his structured investigations, his awareness of pitch and its relevance, meaning somewhat harmony but also the interaction with melody.  Then Miro, spelling out the chords and keys with a different approach, like Miles to John's Coltrane, a more high altitude view of pitch colours and harmonic movements, perhaps moving phrases chromatically over the changes.  Then Lachlan, this time in bass form on his Fender VI, sometime finger picked, mostly picked, soft and thumpy, playing with dampened notes, fabulously astute rhythmic plays, on latins or others and extravagant guitar-like lines in some solos, and a readiness to lay out or leave space or change grooves to move through and alter the essence of a tune.  And Chris there just with Lachlan on that, chops and change but following the choruses where sometimes I wondered how and where.  So this was a fabulous outing by some immensely capable locals.  Just locals?  Yes, our locals, although locals pop up all over as I've found often enough in the jazz world.

John Mackey (tenor) led a quartet at Smiths with Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn), Lachlan Coventry (bass) and Chris Thwaite (drums).  The session was dedicated to Niels Rosendahl (sax).

PS.  As for vegan tatooing, I never knew there was such a thing.

Just friends

This was Miro, John, Eric and Chris at the Drill Hall so just friends.  It fits perfectly, even if they didn't play that tune.  In fact, Miro spoke of pondering the gig and coming up with a theme of Ornette and OC is a world away from Just friends ... or maybe not.  Ornette is modern and challenging but somewhat jovial and he's still from the same tradition.  But it's not that Miro played Ornette all night.  In fact we just got two Ornettes, When will the blues leave and Happy house, and tribute that I didn't know.  And interestingly, Mingus Pithecanthropus erectus which is a hugely menacing thing that develops into something playful.  Weird but a work of Mingus' genius.  I think it also fits somehow with Ornette.  And we always get a string of Miro's Wanderlust tunes and it's a huge pleasure to hear them from the composer.  Today's were Delicatessence, Bronte Cafe and Dakkar.  They are old friends and hugely inviting melodies.  A work of Miro's melodic genius just with his friends.  And a few old friends to fill things out: John playing solo on In a sentimental mood and the band playing Monk Rhythmaning and, of course, Footprints to finish up.  So these were friends all round, on stage and played as the program.  And what great playing.  It's a while so I had a fresh ear and I was learning tons from Miro's and John's tones, the solo structures of dropping scalar elements turned into temporary home pitches.  Horns do that rather than basses.  And Eric just fluid and rich in slides and vibratos and with yet another instrument.  Eric is adventurous with his instruments.  This was a 1/8th bass loaded with three pickups and more, sometimes bowed, otherwise expansively soloed.  It sounded great.  And Chris with a very defined and precise take on very expansive rhythmic interpretations.  So the whole was just friends but a revisit to some hugely satisfying playing.  The venue is pretty wet, but the playing was sharp.  Fabulous.

Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn), John Mackey (tenor), Eric Ajaye (bass) and Chris Thwaite (drums) played at the Drill Hall Gallery.

Growing seeds

There was a welcome to country but I missed that.  I was there to record and I was setting up and anyway I wasn't sure recording was appropriate.  But then the first concert of the CIMF program, called Seeds of life and located at the Arboretum.  This was one larger then a string of shorter snippets around the Arboretum space.  Oliver Shermacher started with a daring mixed media concert at the Margaret Whitlam pavilion (BTW my first visit to a small space but with a massive view).  He' s a daring player, perhaps especially as a clarinettist, but then I don't know too many others.  Jurg Wyttenbach Una chica in Nirvana was a mix of clarinet and spoken story, all whispey and strong as fitting.  Impressive and daring.  Then Alice Chance Stargazer which had us all playing recorded synth sounds from our mobiles (various, depending on starsign) and Oliver improvising quietly against this.  Then Nicola Resanovic  alt.music.ballistix with a samples-rich background in four parts and OS again improvising over.  This was fascinating, as were all.  OS is Australian born but educated and living between Australia and Germany, so not surprised by his experimental while virtuosic concert.  Those Germans are certainly both those things.  Then a series of snippets of performers in the open in gardens: Miro sitting on a rock playing an improv on a magpie song he'd just heard, then Stella; siblings Flora and Theo Carbo playing something more electric and forceful, I guess a free improv; John Mackey playing immense open improvs, interestingly firstly on Stella then Body and soul; finally the Djinama Yilaga choir comprising ~6 women with a girl and boy and a woman guitarist and led by Cheryl Davison singing songs from their country (south coast NSW).  Interestingly they are revitalising their dhurga language and a little amusing when place names we recognise, like Narooma and Tilba, pop up.  Then a final performance by the Australian Dance Party but I couldn't effectively record it and had to leave anyway.  Ashlee Bye, Yolanda Lowatta and Patricia Hayes-Cavanagh dancing in the vast space of the amphitheatre to choreography by Ashlee Bye and music by Dan Walker.  Really a fascinating outing.

Seeds of life was the opening concert of CAMF2023 at the Arboretum.  In verious formats, it included performers Oliver Shermacher (clarinet), Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet), Theo Carbo (electric guitar), Flora Carbo (saxophone), John Mackey (tenor), Djinama Yilaga (choir) and the Australian Dance Party with Ashlee Bye (choreographer, dancer) and Yolanda Lowatta and Patricia Hayes-Cavanagh (dancers).

Thanks, Nugget

Andrea Keller was in Canberra for her ANU HC Coombes Fellowship and she presented a gig at the Drill Hall Gallery.  Her generosity was evident with its structure, featuring her trio with John and Miro but also with short features from three ANU student pianists, each displaying their skills and works.  The title of her concert says it all: New collaborations.  Andrea's trio played two sets including several new compositions from the Flicker series, Flickers no.2,3,4,5 and Carefree daze, Cobourg  and Hope in the thing with feathers (Andrea) and Peace please (a masterpiece by Miro). These were virtuosic presentations, clear pianistic accompaniments or intros and with clarity in solos truly to die for.  This was lucid with no bass or drums filling space, just master musicians speaking to open and live air.  The Drill Hall reverb worked a treat in this format.  I was taken aback by the beauty of some passages, clear and open as they were.  To hear how John could investigate a tune, calm and searching and occasionally explosive, was a thing of wonder and so evident in this format; the clarity of expression and harmony of Miro and John as a pairing showed their long history; Andrea leading, introducing, accompanying, ever clear and evocative, ever decisive and gently stated.  Then the three younger pianists, students or recently so, from a mix of classical and jazz backgrounds but essentially in a jazz idiom, if more latin than bebop.  Elliot Kozary played Estate and Blue in green.  Caleb Campbell played a his Spinning wheel, an improv on recurrent motion, and a major work, originally written in 11 parts and here reduced to solo piano, somewhat biographical, called Drift.  Ronan Apcar claimed a more classical background, playing an improv on folk Armenian tones, dark and deep, and a take on Brad Mehldau When it rains.  Truly a stunning concert and a thing of great beauty.

Andrea Keller (piano) led a trio with John Mackey (tenor) and Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn) at the Drill Hall Gallery.  Elliot Kozary, Caleb Campbell and Ronan Apcar (piano) presented solo pieces.

Two settings

I was on Llewellyn stage until the start time for Antipodes at Molly so I only caught the last tunes of the first set.  More on this excuse in the next report.  When I arrived, the band was playing music that was clearly scored, delicately written.  I wondered if they were touring an album.  No, but there was much new material.  Slow pensive melody played unison, exploding into short shared solo passages then back to controlled melody.  Room for solos, including the sit-ins, John Mackey and Miro Bukovsky, joining the core quintet of alto, guitar, piano, bass and drums, all taking their feature but combining to an effective theme.  Antipodes is an international grouping, formed out of a meeting of Luke (Aus) and Jake (NZ) in Berlin (Ger).  So antipodean, if international.  Then a relaxed break and a final set of a few blows on a blues and Stomping at the Savoy and I'll remember April.  Great, outgoing, joyous but intense jamming, but still relaxed and fun rather than the serious, scored first set.  All fabulous playing and inventive composition.  A pleasure.

Antipodes played at Molly with sit-ins John Mackey (tenor) and Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet).  Antipodes comprised Jake Baxendale (alto), Luke Sweeting (piano), Callum Allardice (guitar), Noel Mason (bass) and Tim Geldens (drums).

OWJF2022-9

Then old friends Wanderlust.  Now this was amusing as well as inviting and attractive.  Firstly, the tunes are to die for.  We hear a small number mostly at every Wanderlust concert, but I never tire of the colourful melodies and  insistent, somewhat international grooves and the three part front line and the solos.   They are in their 30th year but not playing too much, given Covid.  I imagined them flying by the seat of their pants but this is jazz.  Miro organising, passing or calling for solos, those unique feels, the amusements of James and all, really.  When do you see the saxist putting down his glasses on the stand, the trumpeter picking them up, the trombonist checking them out too, all while a delirious solo is taking place, with all in place for John when he's finished, you can only smile in collusion.  Then glorious startups from Fabian, all percussive rather than drum-styled, an unexpected solo started from Brendan when the audience didn't seem to want an end to the concert, and those delightful and expansive solos and fills from Alister.  Mightily musical but so much more; an intensely joyous event but also just lovely, inviting tunes.  How can you not love this outfit?

 And now for something completely different: The Morrisons.  This was classy country/roots/whatever.  Nice harmonies, up feels, fiddle and a string of stringed instruments, banjo, two guitars, a mandolin or similar and bass with slap-style playing. Someone mentioned Australian bluegrass and confirmed the lyrics and stories and compositions were local.  That's good.  I liked this outfit, capable and lively and happy.  Also nice was the location in the Lord Anson pub, so a chance to eat and have a beer.  A very different experience to the church-cum-concert hall events and a chance to chat with neighbours.

 Wanderlust and The Morrisons played at the inaugural Orange Winter Jazz Festival. Wanderlust comprised Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn), James Greening (trombone), John Mackey (tenor), Jeremy Sawkins (guitar), Alister Spence (piano), Brendan Clarke (bass) and Fabian Hevia (drums, percussion).  No names given in the program for The Morrisons.

Venerable at 30

Wanderlust is 30yo.  That's quite an achievement for a band.  Miro's group that has changed a little but not tons over the years.  Still that delightful sweetness, that glorious sense of melody, that easy virtuosity with no pretense or hubris.  This is music to delight in.  They played their 30th anniversary show at Street Theatre 1.  The sound was a delight: I noticed when I tried to track each instrument, guitar, bass, drums, piano, perhaps sax soloing, and they were all there, clear and ringing, but nothing in the way.  Then the playing.  Of course, Brendan was a blast, but from a bassist that is without saying.  And his offsider, Fabian on drums, also a blast and an intriguing opening to the music of South America.  I hadn't realised he'd escaped Pinochet; I knew of Miro's escape from Russian tanks entering Prague.  It was a different Australia then.  Then Alister blew me out with the most alacritous jazz lines but also roguishly-perpetuated dissonance.  That is serious harmonic chops.  And working across the front line, John has those harmonic chops too, that we know, but my bliss was hearing his solo on Wanderlust, a tune by Duke Ellington.  I knew the tune, of course, but not the title.  John played the most unexpected and melodically glorious solo, so much in the tradition of the originators.  Bliss.  He told me later he'd been thinking who he would emulate and reeled off a string of Ellington's performers, what, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Ben Webster?  That's listening.  Then Miro, of course, gloriously melodic on flugelhorm, more stretching on trumpet.  I was noticing the sound helped me experience these guys more than I remember.  James is always a blast and an amusing stage presence, and his playing this night was overwhelming at times, deliciously tonal but also playfully quick and lithe playing to the trombone's strengths.  And finally Jeremy, always certain and clear and crisp, not so fast as certain and tuneful.  Fabulous band.  They played only 7 tunes in their 90 minute allowance, so plenty of solos shared around.  The audience delighted in it all.  They were mostly compositions by Miro.  Miro's melodies are delicious and this band plays the heads with authority, sweetly tuned but also expressive.  Bronte Cafe, Delicatessence, Mumbo Gumbo,  Pressure makes diamonds.  Mumbo Gumbo felt like a 12-bar at first, but I ended up counting 16+1.  An interesting structure.  Fabulous tunes that even found an outlet on radio as program themes (Bronte Cafe on ABCRN).  And that Ellington tune, Wanderlust, and one each from Alister and Fabian.  Then an end.  But an invitation for drinks to celebrate.  Great night of music and even a beer to finish off.  Other than the difficulty getting a pic (yeah, I know, it shows above!), all was well with the world.

Wandlerlust played their 30th anniversary concert at the Street Theatre.  Wanderlust were Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn), James Greening (trombone), John Mackey (tenor), Jeremy Sawkins (guitar), Alister Spence (piano), Brendan Clarke (bass) and Fabian Hevia (drums).

Quality and quantity

I'll put it down to a matter of quality and quantity.  I am wont to feel the width, but my recent CJ posts have been infrequent after a total blowout at the last (classical bass) concert.  But John Mackey's Melting Pot playing his Wave Length suite was fitting as another blowout.  It was fabulous and I was in awe.  John had described it as an improvised series of movements based on skeletal scores and influenced by Covid. I heard a series of tunes with rock-based grooves (think '70s Miles) and nicely twisted heads with plenty of space for blows.  There were some floating segments, perhaps with electronics or glorious piano chords from Wayne, some ecstatic outbursts from Greg and wonderfully and reliably tuneful, melodic statements from the front line of John and Miro.  They can both explode with a flourish but openly spell melody and play with various degrees of dissonance at will, and that interplay can be blissful.  Miro's harmonising to John can be a thing of great beauty.  And they both played with an octaver or harmoniser to sound all the world like synths.  And there was electronics there, too, with Mark standing at a bench of electronics, perhaps a keyboard (not sure) but definitely a laptop with looping and more (probably Ableton, I guess).  Mostly it was lost to the audience but between tunes and in some floating segments, it was evident.  Greg had a laptop, too, but not sure how it was used.  He had a string of pedals at his feet, so not just for effects.  And the core of the rhythm section was Lachlan on his Bass 6, that unusual 6-string bass that I remember as a remnant from the '60s.  He plays with thumb-pick and finger-picking for some fabulously embellished rhythmic grooves and extensive solos.  It's a different, virtuosic approach to bass, both grooving and thrilling at once.  And Mark, Sir Mark of the late intros, just a gem with the most supple stick control creating glorious, sweet tone and endless insistent driving grooves with nothing out of place, no embellishment ever indulgent, just perfect, never erring.  Mark was way on top in the mix that I found not quite as I'd expect, with Greg somewhat lost or indistinct, as too was Lachlan (but bass is hard to clarify), as even were John and Miro although Wayne seemed to be there, crisp on grand piano, when I turned my ear to him.  Perhaps a function of where I was seated?  But I quibble.  I enjoyed this concert deeply, the playing was outstanding, the heads were a great pleasure and there was joy and even some fun, and that glorious snare-on-3 drumming throughout.  So, quality or quantity?  At least for my last few CJ outings, the call is outlandish quality!  BTW, I chatted with Mark and Greg after and suggested a release from this session.  I just hope it was recorded as multitrack.

John Mackey's Melting Pot played the world premiere of his Wave Lengths suite.  The performers were John Mackey (tenor, soprano sax), Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn), Greg Stott (guitar), Wayne Kelly (piano, keys), Lachlan Coventry (bass), Mark Sutton (drums) and Mark Webber (laptop).

PS.  Thanks to Abbey Mackay Budge of the Creswick Collective and Caroline Stacey of the Street Theatre for the pic.

Throwing off chains

Spartacus was the gladiator who led the Third Servile war against the class-owning oligarchy during the Roman Republican era. Thus does Ronny model himself, the servile drummer at the whim of the overlords. As a bassist, I think he might have something there, but of course it's in some jest. The serious intent is to centralise the drums in this music, so the Spartacus Collective is a "quartet of solo drumset with instrumental accompaniment". Intriguing! They were to play at the Sydney Festival but that was canned. Lucky for us, because they played Smiths and it was intriguing and enveloping music, largely improvised although gathered within some indicative written lines or harmonic concepts (Two up, two down featured melody in two keys) or rhythmic grooves. It must have served Ronny well, because I think this is the most exciting I've heard him. Maybe in part because some of his drum influences got airings: To Elvin (as a verb) is an obvious reference but another to the "big, spacey, rich" drumming on Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska album is not so obvious). Each player had charts, but the improv was long and evident. Jess was excellent at setting the space for this, regular in form with occasional punctuations and embellishments, clear in tone and often quizzical in melody and often counting in changes or recurrences of a melody. John and Miro were their fully expected exploratory selves: thoughtful, informed, searching for relevance. The fairly rare "heads" featured harmonies between these two front-liners. My guess was John improvised harmony to Miro's melody, but not sure; maybe it was written. It was not a long night: Ronny had five charts and they added an improv leading to a mobile African groove from Jess, her song Jerboa, written about an animal that's shared between South Africa and Australia (and perhaps more widely: do extant animals date back to Gondwana? I must look that up). Interesting, too, that they played without PA. This was wildly exploratory yet not at all disoriented, improvised and clearly authoritative, responsive despite limited instructions. A great night that had me deeply absorbed. Lucky us for Sydney's cancellation.

Spartacus Collective is a project of Ronny Ferella (drums, compositions). The Canberra contingent comprised Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet), John Mackey (tenor) and Jess Green (guitar).

To end a week

The end of a truly great week of music: a concert with Michelle Nicolle and Palaver [Quintet]. Michelle is just a stunning master singer, detailed, developmental, improvisatory, wildly flexible in rhythm and richly embroidered. And lovely to boot. She was in Canberra for a few concerts interspersed with other travel. I caught them with Ronny and Geoff, her long-term offsiders in Melbourne, and our locals, Miro, John and Eric. Again, it was the perfection of the long-term rather than something of complex pre-arrangements. This was flexible and jammed, relaxed in style but delicious in performance. First up some tunes from the instrumentalists: Delicatessence and Stella; then Michelle with Green Dolphin Street and Footprints and "something in a major key", There will never be another you; then Miro's gloriously beautiful Peace please and an encore with Michelle on Softly. There are a few throwaway blowing standards in that list, but how well do they appear in this format! So good, so informed, such worthy explorations. I could only melt, what with Michelle's so-intriguing and such-enriching voice fantasies and her obvious engrossment (follow her hands and face) and the respect on stage (John's intent focus and Miro's open smile at one particularly inventive line by Michelle) and the deeply satisfying playing all round. So good and such a pleasure.

Michelle Nicolle (vocals) sang with Palaver [Trio/Quintet?] comprising Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flugelhorn), John Mackey (tenor), Geoff Hughes (guitar), Eric Ajaye (bass) and Ronny Ferella (drums).

Melting hot

John Mackey called together his monthly Melting Pot at Makeshift and it was a huge pleasure. Nothing unexpected there. It's a jam, but with the best of our musos and a guest. This month, the guest was Steve Sedergreen gathering with locals John and Miro Bukovsky, James Luke, Greg Stott and Peter Campion. Peter was new to me: apparently a student replacing Mark Sutton for the night. He did a great job with funky firm sometimes challengingly syncopated drumming. Steve was busy as, moving things around with abandon, very prominent and influential although fairly sparing on solos. James is a local hero and easily deserved. I play bass so he'll always catch my awareness, but his space matched with alacrity, tonal variety (the most delicious 6-string tone augmented with various effects) and moving underlay just floored me. He, too, was very influential on the path of the jam. Then John, of course, exhilarating and adventurous from the first notes: a giant. And Miro sounding his synth-best with some harmoniser pedal. And Greg, clear on his first semi-acoustic, then dirty and deep with his e-guitar. I dare say there was little immediate preparation here, other than several lifetimes of listening and practice and experience. Miro played some electric Miles in the breaks and this just mimicked some of this band. They are masters and this was a huge pleasure and no doubt an indulgence for them, too. Perhaps some tunes were fully improvised, some were stock standard blow charts (So what, Footprints) and just one glorious standard (You don't know what love is) which got a firm, rocky treatment from Peter with some suggestions of swing from others. Then another one or two head that I didn't know. Some hugely satisfying playing: hot although not hot as in swing - this was much more funky and contemporary. And some laughs with those harmonised Darth Vader voices. Just a blast from the best. BTW, if you plan to go, pre-book online.

John Mackey led a session at Makeshift bar in New Acton with guest Steve Sedergreen (piano) and locals Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet), James Luke (bass), Greg Stott (guitar) and Peter Campion (drums).

Wander at will

I did just see them passing by - I have a few times - but I was blown out as always. Miro got Wandlerlust together for a gig at the Jazz Haus and it was a stunner. From the first bars of a lengthy, adventurous piano solo from Alister to open up, through the renowned Wanderlust songbook and a few newbies and a delightful standard by Duke Ellington called Wanderlust, no doubt, this was a thing of wonder. Bronte Cafe is famed not just for the band but for its incarnation as a theme on ABCRN a few years back. Dakkar just sits luxuriantly. There a good bit of Africa here, with one from Jeremy (missed the title) and Miro's Pressure makes diamonds (a fabulous title dedicated to Nelson Mandela). And deep grooves with Delicatessence and the latin/New Orleans Mumbo Jumbo. And that deliciously beautiful tune, again by Miro, Peace please, which they played as an encore and profound ending. This was Wanderlust as lustful as I've ever seen them. Gloriously tight and intoned heads that sit over infectious rhythms; James with his ever-gleeful presence and deeply satisfying solos; John and Brendan as the local visitors and insanely effective; Alister as deeply, harmonically investigative, Fabian all infectious latin, Jeremy often unobtrusive then guitar clean and melodic. Megan asked about some of the background, where these overly capable musicians on riffs spelling complex African grooves. Backing solos or backing out completely for solo bass or drums or guitar to play genuinely alone. Just so good. Great players know when to talk and when to sit. And again, those perfect heads. Someone mentioned there's not much ensemble playing. No, not written. These are mostly infectious grooves with gloriously melodic heads and space for improv that they leave to these great players. Did I say I enjoyed it? Hugely enjoyable tunes from the best of players. What's not to like?

Wanderlust appeared at the Jazz Haus. Wanderlust were Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet, flueglhorn), John Mackey (tenor), James Greening (trombone), Alister Spence (piano), Jeremy Sawkins (guitar), Brendan Clarke (bass) and Fabian Hevia (drums).