A surface with only one side

The closest I know is electric Miles, all strong grooves, changes guided by leader Viktor, some solos, effects, edgy chopping guitar.  Plenty of 4-bar 4-beat passages, powered, driving, then a collapse, all spacey, effects and percussion, then back to driving grooves.  I must say mostly driving grooves and that choppy guitar or wah, that match of telling synth and piano passages, accents throughout.  And that bass/drum combo.  Always that insistent, powerful, unrelenting bass/drums combo.  All manner of fingered chops, wah and octaver and drive effects underlying inevitable but surprisingly infrequent guitar solos.  This was more groove than solos or features.  The band was a bubbly, effervescent whole more than a backline and features.  No vocals, yet; this is still set 1. The bass/drum defining the vista and in control.  All telling.  Viktor leading, conducting, imposing with notes on a white board that we didn't see.  He'd offered his guitar as a prize if we could guess the instructions... all the instructions.  Virtually impossible of course, although it turned out to be chords passages, perhaps individually indicated by Victor and occasional stop and starts conducted by him.  Mostly very, very sharp. These players are classy.  Perhaps a 4-feel to 2, then a chord relocation, after hits, a return to drive, whatever, exhilarating.  The music was the Mobius improv jam at Transit Bar and described as improvised experimental hip-hop and progressive/neo soul.  Mobius; nicely named to fit the music: a surface with only one side.  That was set 1.  Then a break and set 2.  Starting much the same, but this was open for improv hiphop vocals and the like.  Performers would check in with Viktor in the break, the band would settle a little and Victor would invite performers up.  I didn't get names, but first up some evident rap, then some singing, then an old fart with spoken word, me, with they said poetry (I guess it was but I call it "spoken word") then a final birthday rave then the band led it out to an end.  Just two sets, two pieces of improv, with those vocals over.  I was impressed with the rapper and singer although couldn't hear much of either.  I asked a few people afterwards if my words were heard: both mentioned Double down, the theme and a repeated line, but not sure they got the politics of it all or followed the words.  Probably not.  Earlier I had tried two locations in the room and both were loud and mushy deep.  So it is in walled spaces, I guess.  As for the musical support, I enjoyed that the band grew in intensity and I went with it, and the repeats of "Double down, double double down" worked to lead a nice diminuendo.  Great night.  These Mobius jams run for the next two Fridays in Feb; free entry, 9-11pm, recommended.

Victor Rufus (guitar, musical director) led the music and event at the Mobius improv jam at Transit Bar. The musicians were Victor with Jamie Rea (keys), Mark Wilson (guitar), Phil Dick (bass) and Rhys Lintern (drums).  And there was a rapper and a singer and Eric Pozza (spoken word) and another party goer.

PS for those who were there, here are the words I recited for my spoken word premiere > Double down / The Pots (video)

NYC

NYC or other, these guys play that way and have all travelled to hear those modern styles.  We are lucky to have such a trio as this, here, in Canberra, down the track from studies here and abroad, playing with a hugely satisfying modern complexity.  It was Brendan's trio, so his part first: the bassist leads.  This is fast, fluent, expressive playing through solos and accompaniment.  Playing with time, busy across the fingerboard, machine gun lines at times, but also melodic, sometimes spelling out the melody plainly enough, perhaps with altered notes, or exploring both melody and harmonic substitutions with sequences that move through various keys but talk back to the initiating phrase.  Rich and busy playing and absolutely convincing.  Solid and fat.  And with this, Victor on guitar, again rich with chordal accompaniment, often enough chordal solos, twisting the harmony for new paths and new visions of a tune.  That contemporary tone: a batch of effects at his feet, of course, but not too obvious, perhaps middy, but clear and bell-like, strongly present but strangely unintrusive and always guiding to new directions.  I hear NYC clubs in his playing.  And Rhys on drums, quieter in this context of firmly amplified strings, filling often unobtrusively, perhaps taking solos, cymbals clear and present, toms filling and bouncing amongst it all, kick underlying this all.  This was the most complex and satisfying set -  sometimes standards, sometimes jazz tunes - flamboyant or complex or extravagant (the bass solos were, often enough!).  Always purposeful and telling modern stories in modern idioms.  Their time overseas was actually Indiana, NYC and Canada.  There are echoes here, strong and imbibed.  We are lucky to hear this, here, live, in the flesh.  Get it while you can.  A blast.

Brendan Keller-Tuberg (bass) led a trio with Victor Rufus (guitar) and Rhys Lintern (drums) at Molly.

Good for the gander

... Tate was running off to play with Victor Rufus Reverberation at Smiths. It's a common run these Thursdays: Thursday is performance day School of Music and jazz night at Smiths. I came in to a decent crowd and a band playing Dave Holland Conference of the birds. I enjoyed hearing that. It's well know but not too often played. This was a medley that ran into Nirvana Teen Spirit then Kurt Rosenwinkel's Next step. Difficult electric jazz. Then Brian Blade Fellowship Evinrude-fifty and Donny McCaslin Casting for gravity. Nothing like the preceding ballads. This was outright boys' blowing and skilled reading adn chops on hot stuff heads with no thought of love and life. Boys and girls: long last the difference. I enjoyed this hot flashy stuff, especially the contorted heads, some considered and structured and very controlled solos, including one that let go of diatonism and the planet, from Tate, a fluent and fast bass solo form Barnaby, an impressive drum solo from Rhys that was based on a very jumpy, stop-start groove, intelligent tenor and Victor's generous presence and guitar. It was only a few tunes (they had started before I arrived and Tate moved faster than I did, having to farewell some friends on the way) and it seemed short. An encore that was unplanned, on a Bb blues (Victor chose Bird's Relaxing at Camarillo) and the end. I was recording, and I had almost one hour. I was surprised. It didn't feel so long. Lively and choppy; the other side of Tate's interests. Nice one.

Victor Rufus Reverberation comprised Victor Rufus (guitar), Doug Hall (tenor), Tate Sheridan (piano), Barnaby Briggs (bass) and Rhys Lintern (drums).

One and two of three

The Loft featured a pair of guitarists with their bands. Dave Rodriguez was down Sydney with his trio DLR after a night at the Phoenix. Jack Ray’s ’93 Project was the support. And the Smith’s jam later in the night was to feature another guitarist, but more on that in another post. So how different can guitarists, and conceptions, be? Very different.


’93 Project started gentle and moody with ballad-like chords and West Coast sensibility, Phill’s steady and determined and great-sounding bass and some cracking snare from Rhys. Jack has written the tunes and he laid out the heads with simple clarity on guitar, giving way to occasional effects, wah or overdrive over solos. The other main soloist was pianist Tate who can take a tune and express it in ways that are exploratory and expansive, but nicely unjarring. I was thinking while listening to Tate that most of what we hear is not new. I can almost say it’s all been played before; after all, there are only 12 notes. But good players interpret with a clear and fluent take on those existing, established themes, perhaps combining in their own ways on the day. Thus this quote: "In the final analysis, your stature as a jazz musician is determined not by how much you have practised, but by how well you have listened " Jazzology, p.195. Tate does this so well. ’93 Project is a platform for Jack Ray’s compositions. It comprises Jack Ray (guitar), Tate Sheridan (piano), Phill Jenkins (bass) and Rhys Lintern (drums).


DLR is Dave Rodriquez’s current trio. It’s so different, even so entertaining. I laughed with joy and some nostalgia for this music. Think guitar trio, Hendrix with loops, Fender bass. This was crossover to rock. There were also hints of jazz in some solos, but more lanky bass and preposterous drumming. This was also loud, effected, sustained, looped. The whole felt produced, rich, full, although this was only a trio. The effects and loops bring this, sounding like a complete and recorded electric/electronic sound. Very much unlike acoustic and jazz and classics. It takes different knowledge and skills; it has its own expertise; it’s mostly music of other scenes. It’s a refreshing visit, thus my smiles of nostalgia. There’s nothing new, and this too has its precursors, but I wasn’t the only boomer who enjoyed this visit to a world of guitar and electronics. Much enjoyed. DLR is Dave Rodriguez (guitar, electronics), Jan Bangma (bass) and Miles Thomas (drums).

There’s listening and awareness

You hear differently when you’re playing, compared to when you are listening. It occurred to me at our gig yesterday. Jazz Republic was playing with Rachel Thorne. I’ve recently met Jean-Luc Bodson, a newly arrived bassist in Canberra. He’d come for the wines and roses and he took my bass for a run on a transposed Autumn Leaves. When I play, I am aware of the others, the singer, the soloists, less obviously but more constantly of the drummer. But sitting back, I was hearing the bass as others hear it, louder, strong but middy, and noticing details in the singing and listening with care to Richard’s solo. I realised that Richard, sax player, listens like this often: horns get the chance between solos. Rhythm section players tend to play constantly, so there isn’t this same conscious awareness. What to learn from this? First to keep watching to strengthen awareness of the others, but that’s commonly said. The other is just how different is the listening when you’re not playing. Late, perhaps, but a revelation.

Otherwise, this was a great little gig. I was stunned to hear Ella at one stage, and Rachel scats often and easily, but she does more. Such a nice singer. Jean-Luc hadn't played for while (his basses are in transit) and on a new bass but he had some intriguing lines with a nice touch and he impressed me by warming up with some bop heads. Rhys sat in. It was his first gig of three for the day and a good warmup. He was nicely solid and professional and steady to play with. This is what training does for you and I’ve been working on just this: better chord definitions and steadier, more determined grooves. Mike and Richard were their normal impressive selves. My hands were benefiting from recent work on Bach sonatas and iGigBook and iRealb took care of singer transpositions. The flies outnumbered the audience, but we had a blast. Much enjoyed.

Rachel Thorne (vocals) sang with Jazz Republic for the Wine, Roses and all that Jazz festival. JR were Richard Manderson (saxes), Mike Dooley (piano), Rhys Lintern (durms, sitting in for Brenton) and Eric Pozza (bass). Jean-Luc Bodson (bass) sat in for one tune.

’93 a good year

Another rare jazz event in Canberra. It’s got that way this year. This was just a little gig in a small venue, ‘93 Project at the Front, with a particularly small audience, but I enjoyed it lots. Leader and guitarist Jack Ray presented original compositions with a very nice local quartet. I mentioned to Jack that I heard it as Californian, or at least West Coast.
This was heavily jazz-influenced music of syncopations in melody and rhythm and inserts of complex fills and steady grooves behind solos. It was the overall laid back feel that said California to me. Jack was amused with the CA reference, but agreed the music was relaxed and easy-going. There was a ballad, some funk, plenty of ostinato basslines. East Brunswick was a sleepy, gentle Melbourne train trip with Cyndi and repetitive fifths on bass; Not was funky; Spare time was laid back with that West Coast groove; City was syncopated cool; Late night lights was memories of 505 and a commitment to jazz; 20 was the ballad, with syncopated bass giving way to a straighter bridge; Soundtracks was an inquisitive 4 to the floor. The band settled to a beautifully relaxed and responsive unit with dynamics building over solos, then settling to do it again for another. Tate’s solos were gems, classical colour and harmonic richness but then an exemplary single note style against funk. I thought Rhys’ awareness and humility in the drum seat worked nicely with Phill’s busy right-hand syncopations. This was responsive and undemonstrative but wonderful support. It was quite a gem of a rhythm section this night. Jack led with solos that were both intervallic with stretched fingers and sometimes choppy or overdriven. At times, I thought the grooves were almost poppy, even if the heads were more jazz-complex. This was presentable music that had one of the small, unexpecting audience dancing in her seat. Listening especially to the easy but responsive rhythms, I felt experience not just training, musos with a bit of time after school to define themselves and remember what personally clicks. It was only one set, but it’s one of few these days and I enjoyed it lots. Well done, especially given that ’93 was only 20 years ago.

‘93 Project are Jack Ray (guitar), Tate Sheridan (piano), Phill Jenkins (bass) and Rhys Lintern (drums).

Just a gig

I haven’t mentioned many of my own gigs recently, but there’s some interest here. Firstly, a different drummer as Brenton was not available. Rhys Lintern sat in and thanks to him for pleasant company and some nicely settled rhythms. Otherwise, I enjoyed a technical breakthrough with my right hand, which is only of interest to bassists. I’ll refrain here from the details (not easy), but happy to chat at any time to bassists about strings and technique and the like. Who am I kidding? I’m usually the one who brings the subject up, anyway.