APxART

Art Not Apart is back. I just read this morning a comment that art is different in Canberra – more community, arranged by the artists, less corporate than other cities. This feels rights. Certainly, ANA is like this: several weeks of contemporary arts of all types, theatre, poetry, music, discussions, more. All free. Arranged throughout Civic in various venues. I’ll attend some of the Difficult Music series, and anything else that’s opportune. Yesterday, I goaded Megan and some friends into the New Acton ANA event. It’s a full day of markets, music, arts, presumably with a bit of corporate support. It’s bustling and friendly. Along with the body painting and vintage clothes and tuned gongs and chats with visual artists, we caught freestyle dancer Alison Plevey accompanied by altoist Andrew Fedorovich. Then some Canberra referenced poetry, delivered with aplomb and full voice, by Raphael Kabo. I’m just discovering a love of poetry when performed. First were some readings at last year’s ANA. I note two poems: one of London place names melded with Canberra locations; another of reciting poets huddled in the Phoenix bar missing fire and calamity outside. We were not sure if this referred to the Canberra bushfires, so a truish story, or to a mythical revolution and retribution. We’d have to hear it again, but it was impressive and visual, musical and nicely repeated. You may see more poetry in these posts. Then Natalie Magee dropped in from Sydney with a band including at least the other Brendan Clarke, for her 500th anniversary gig (23yo to the despair of the MC). This was modern, pop music with some jazz sensibility through trumpet solos, and an unusual Indian sensibility in Natalie’s vocals. We just heard 3 tunes, originals by Natalie. I imagine this is perfect JJJ-unearthed material, so watch this space. Just a visit but a perfect day and a friendly, arty scene. Nice.

Just a pic or two of the Arboretum. This was our outing for coffee and some nature awareness-raising. It’s early days yet (give it 50 years) but this will be spectacular (provided we can still water it). At least the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection is up and running and it’s already a treat with specimens dating back 60+ years and the dear old cork plantation (planted ~1920) is a little-known delight dating back to Burley Griffin and Charles Weston.

Alison Plevey (dancer) performed with Andrew Fedorovich (alto). Raphael Kabo (poet) recited. Natalie Magee (vocals) led a band with Callum Gracie (trumpet), Peter Koopman (guitar), the other Brendan Clark (bass) and Dan Kennedy (drums). And a visit to the National Arboretum.

Under pollarded planes

Pollarding is a type of heavy pruning used in Europe to limit tree size in urban environments. I ran across jazz under the pollarded Planes last night in Manuka. Caleb Wearne, Sally Greenaway and Natalie Magee were playing Jazz on the Manuka Lawns at the Urban Pantry. It was nice, relaxed jazz on a calm and warm evening: very pleasant given a decent beer. All three are old friends of CJ, of course, capable and well-trained performers. Caleb’s hands and solos were finely wrought; Sally’s solos were broad and cinematic; Natalie’s singing was intially uncomplicated but I thought she’d dropped into a more detailed style when we passed by later in the evening after dinner. We were only at the Lawns for pre-dinner drinks, but I expect the musical style would have continued into the night. They played standards and latins including some of the more interesting melodies: All of me, April in Paris, Bye bye blackbird, Dancing cheek to cheek, Dindi, East of the Sun west of the Moon. Natalie’s repertoire starting at A, I guess.

You learn something new every day, like pollarding. I knew they were Plane trees at Manuka with their mottled trunks but I’d always wondered about the heavy pruning they underwent. Also new to me was Jazz on the Manuka Lawns, outside Urban Pantry. It’s in its second year with light jazz 6-9pm each Friday evening through Spring and Summer.

Delightful standards

Every now and then I attend a standards gig and really, really enjoy it. It was only a short visit, but I really enjoyed hearing Natalie Magee’s Quartet last night at their unlikely (but longstanding) venue of the Dendy Cinema bar. It’s a funny venue with people milling around for tickets and lining up for films and a few people sitting to chat and a few even listening to the band. But it lends itself to a band having a good time with little pressure and this can result in some great music. This gig was like that.

Natalie is singing with such jazz invention these days, taking melodies and singing the harmonies, singing over and behind the beat, syncopating and bending lines into complex arpeggiated structures, scatting with comfort. This is sophisticated and richly embellished singing and I loved it. Luke Sweeting is every bit her match at toying with harmony and structure and throwing in musical witticisms and long flamboyant lines and symmetric patterns that clash then resolve against underlying harmonies. The standards are great for this, of course, and the droll and knowing lyrics just confirm it. But none of this works without a steady but communicative base and Phill Jenkins’ throbby gut tone on steady or lively walks and Namchoon Kim’s easy drumming gives the forward motion. And this is a relaxed outing, so they each take their shares of solos.

I caught tunes including Little girl blue (a new one for me), Lullaby of Birdland, Almost like being in love and I got to sit in for Love, which is a really cute song. (Phill was taking pics and threatening to review me! Damn! What goes around, comes around, I guess). It was only short outing, but quite lovely. Natalie Magee (vocals) led a quartet with Luke Sweeting (piano), Phill Jenkins (bass) and Namchoon Kim (drums) at the Dendy. It’s on every Wednesday, it’s free and it’s very relaxed.

Again just caught in passing

I only had a few minutes, but this time I managed a few pics of Natalie Magee and her trio. She’s been appearing increasingly frequently around town. I’d heard her at the Dendy recently, but I was there for a movie and didn’t have my camera. The Dendy is an odd venue for a jazz band, being a cinema, but it’s a long-standing gig and presumably brings in punters on a Monday night, so good on Dendy. That night, Natalie was playing with Phill Jenkins and Luke Sweeting. At Minque yesterday she was with Luke and Bill Williams. She’s playing today with Carl Morgan. Natalie sings the great standards repertoire: My foolish heart, Lullaby of Birdland, Foggy day, The very thought of you, and the like. Seriously and emphatically performed, and with a musicians of great panache. Lovely stuff and regularly giggable.

Natalie Magee (vocals) sang with Luke Sweeting (piano) and Bill Williams (bass).