Sylvie's sidekicks (NJWC3)

The third of CJ's three reviews for the National Jazz Writing Competition

Gig review
Sylvia Mitchell Trio
Sylvia Mitchell (alto sax), Jess Green (guitar), Zoe Hauptmann (bass)
Jazz at the Gods Café, ANU, Canberra
7 August 2007
537 words

Canberra is a hidden gem in jazz in Australia. This was a night to savour the influence of the national capital, and especially of Canberra’s Jazz School, on the life of jazz in Australia. For these were three significant women of Australian jazz who played for a homecoming crowd at Geoff Page’s annual Jazz at the Gods series. They were billed as the Sylvia Mitchell Trio, but appeared on the night as Sylvie & the Sidekicks: Sylvia Mitchell (alto sax), Jess Green (guitar) and Zoe Hauptmann (bass). They are from slightly different eras in the life of the Jazz School: Sylvia followed her sidekicks by a few years. They are dispersed now: Jess and Zoe to Sydney; Sylvia moving from Melbourne to Sydney. Two (Jess and Zoe) have already released CDs of mirth and considerable compositional originality on the JazzGroove label, and now Sylvia is planning a release. So these are competent players, with educational connections and female pride to boot.

From the top, it was smooth, melodically rich, harmonically complex and always rooted in the groove. Zoe’s the essence of the bassist: harmonically clear, driving grooves, fitting fills and falls. There were some solos, but her strength is in laying down that beat. In this, she’s a master. But the rhythm was greatly enriched by counterpoint from Jess’ guitar: small dissonant chords and note clumps, syncopated across Zoe’s backbeats. A rich tapestry of rhythm, and a full harmonic underlay for solos. So full and interpretive with just two players. On this bedrock was Sylvia’s horn. She’s younger than Zoe or Jess, and the lesser experience is evident, but there’s a full range, considerable chops to take on Bird bop, a good ear for musos like Dave Holland, wide experience, and compositional skills as well. In addition, Jess’ solos were wonderful, restrained explorations of consonant and frequently dissonant melody: truly beautiful and thoughtful. And she added the pleasure of a surprisingly satisfying voice: unexpected but gladly received. Voice is truly a messenger of the gods.

The performance ranged widely. There were standards. Jess sang “What is this thing called love”. There was a guitar/bass duet on “Willow weep for me” featuring a Mingus-inspired gliss-full bass solo, and hard swing and fast unison lines on Monk’s “I mean you”. Sylvia selected Bird’s “Au privave” and “Confirmation”, but also “Four winds” and “African Lullaby” from Dave Holland. And there were some wonderfully capable original compositions. Jess provided several from her CD, “Singing fish”. Zoe gave us a riff-based tune called “Guts for garters” (“think of pirates and ghost ships”) with a dissonant, chromatic, Djangoesque cut time accompaniment by Jess. There were several tunes by Sylvia from her music to Geoff Page’s poetic theatre piece, “Drumming on water”.

But perhaps the sound was the surprise for me for the night. Without drums, Zoe’s bass displayed its clear, sharp attack, and soft decay. Jess’ Fender thinline seduced with its woody throated tone filtered through Fender valve distortion. A perfect match for her Scofield sensibility. And Sylvia’s tone and range was equally discernable above the understory.

Like their respectful presentation, this was not a manifest display of virtuosity. There was far more sincerity than that. That’s why it was so, so satisfying.

Previous photo-essay for this concert

BTW, the second place winner in the NJWC, Keith Penhallow, is a Canberran and also reviewed this concert. Read it on the NJWC site

Impossibly simple (NJWC2)

The second of CJ's three reviews for the National Jazz Writing Competition

CD review
Niels Rosendahl
Impossibly simple
Independent release by Niels Rosendahl, NCR001, February 2007
323 words

It’s wonderfully exciting to watch a young muso developing. Their first CD is an early statement of intent, and an opening to the wider world. Niels Rosendahl’s first CD is just this. But surprisingly mature. He’s a capable and well trained player, and one of the star students at the local Jazz School in Canberra. But he’s also got recent time in London and Edinburgh under his belt, and a great pack of graduates and staff to support him.

Niels Rosendahl (tenor, soprano saxes) teams with the local trio of note, Straight Up!, comprising Eric Ajaye (bass), Michael Azzopardi (piano) and Chris Thwaite (drums). Joining them on some tracks are Jonathon and Luke Apps (trumpets) and Anna Thompson (violin).

Niels is perfectly capable of screaming, Coltranesque extravaganzas. A Jazz School exercise was to learn Trane’s Giant Steps solo in all keys. He’s renowned for playing it on request in F#. Impressive. But his post-graduate, scholarship year in the UK has calmed the student mania, so we now have a composed approach of gentleness and honesty although still with considerable energy. The support trio is known to be hot, but is also apt for this outing. Eric Ajaye has an LA background of recording and touring. We expect and get outstanding, expressive bass reminiscent of Buster Williams: all growling low action, fast fingers and frequent slides. Michael Azzopardi is a student in name, but a master in performance, and impresses here as always: ample harmonic fluidity, great technical proficiency and huge passion. Chris Thwaite accompanies with relative quiet, but true responsiveness.

The compositions are all by Niels, and there’s a rich range, from the neo-bop “Penguins”, through modal, modern and latin to a ballad dedicated to soulmate “Carrie”. Not all tunes flow equally freely, but nonetheless they signal a capable composer. The sound of the CD is not spectacular, but it’s an impressive first album, and an omen of a young player to watch.

Apoplexia (NJWC1)

The first of CJ's three reviews for the National Jazz Writing Competition

CD review
Trio Apoplectic (CD title and band name)
Dave Jackson (alto sax), Abel Cross (bass), Alex Masso (drums)
JazzGroove, JGR036, (mastered) November 2006
600 words

Macquarie defines apoplexy as a “marked loss of bodily function due to cerebral haemorrhage”. A band that lays claim to such a title is obviously saying something to us. I’ve seen TA several times live, and I can confirm that the title fits. But their selftitled album is a much clearer and more understandable statement of this claim. Why a loss of bodily function? For me, it’s the indefinite nature of tonality and harmony that’s inherent in this stream of modern jazz. Trio Apoplectic are not the only ones doing this. Similar sounds come from people like Steve Coleman and Greg Osby and the history of this style dates at least from free and avantguard forms of the 60s. To hear it live is ecstatic and disorienting and an intellectual challenge. To hear it in a studio incarnation is clearer, more defined and usually more restrained. But also more comprehensible.

Trio Apoplectic are Dave Jackson (alto sax), Abel Cross (bass) and Alex Masso (drums). The chordless trio is a key component of their style. It opens the harmonic structure, frees to the counterpoint of bass and sax, allows ambiguity in chordal movements. So the experience is not of an underlying chordal structure with superimposed melody and improvisations. This is far more malleable. Every note defines a relationship to each other note, and, with only two pitched parts, is open to multiple implied harmonies. It also frees each player for a front line role. There’s no longer a defined leader, or a clear player of heads, or someone who at any one time is soloing or supporting. Everyone takes the role, and pretty much all the time. If this is sounding like bodily malfunction to you, we’re on a common path. But in the style of the post-modern, in this malfunction hides beauty.

The tunes are mostly original and confirm this appeal to our most investigative senses. They’re penned by Abel and Alex (bass and drums) but the compositions are varied and valid; not all riff or rhythm based as you may expect. “Dynamite” sets the scene for the album. It’s is a hard bop from the top, with sax lines stretching over bar lines, intriguing bass lines laying down harmony, but none too obviously, and capable and very pleasant sounding drums interpreting. This band can swing hard, always rhythmically obvious, but never chordally too evident. “Details of how to get APOPLECTIC on your licence plate” moves into the freer sphere: unison lines in the head, short hard swing segments and drum/sax and bass/percussion solos. “Windy” is more a bassist’s composition, with starter bass solo and a riff basis. “Firewaltz” is a Mal Waldron post-bop. “Skyblocks” is air and space and soundscape. “Boo Boo’s birthday” is a lesser-played Monk tune. It’s a basis for drum and bass solos, but otherwise relatively standard in these surroundings. “Cann River” is authentic free. Finishing, “Sunday arvo” is melancholic and sounds true to quiet, thoughtful times.

Dave’s sax is mobile in extent and tuneful in expression. Overt, but never obvious. Abel’s bass is gloriously rich and searching in spelling the chords; again never predictable but always satisfying. Alex’s drumming as an object lesson in communicating with other players. And the openness of the chordless trio format allows beautiful, ringing sounds from all instruments. The recording is particularly satisfying for the sensuous clarity which highlights the serious purpose of the music.

So, apoplectic? Loss of bodily functions? Yeah, at first sight it’s unclear, undefined, challenging. But listen with an open mind, and there’s a world of intent and a deeply thoughtful interplay: wonderful, modern, beauteous sounds.

Jazz writing (Wang 1)

The winners of this year’s National Jazz Writing Competition (NJWC) were announced at Wangaratta. First place went to Michael Webb. He’s certainly well qualified. Michael studied ethnomusicology and currently lectures in Music Education at the Sydney Conservatorium. Second place went to Keith Penhallow of Canberra. Perhaps I can con Keith into writing for CJ. Winning reviews will be published on the Jazz Australia site, and presumably also on the NJWC site. The judges for this year’s competition were Allan Browne, Matt McMahon and Andrew Ford. The competition required two CD reviews of varied lengths and one gig review. I hear that next year’s comp will be for creative writing (short stories, poetry, etc) on the theme of jazz.

The awards ceremony was pretty low key. It was held in the main venue at the start of Saturday’s proceedings, just before judge Allan Browne and his band performed their major recent work dedicated to Arthur Rimbaud, Drunken Boat. I’m glad I didn’t blink.

I entered and was shortlisted but obviously didn’t win. I’ll be publishing my delayed reviews soon on CJ. Interestingly, Keith reviewed the same gig I did: Sylvia Mitchell, Jess Green and Zoe Hauptman at the Gods. I’ll look forward to reading his words.

Click on the NJWC label to read CJ's entries. Ed. 10 Nov 2007

Congratulations and thanks to Miriam Zolin, who inaugurated and continues to run the competition with commitment, friendliness and professionalism. Thanks also to the sponsors.

National Jazz Writing Competition

Announcement on Jazz Australia

Wang 2